Security stepped up around IAF bases in Avantipora

‘Map from dead militant revealed major plot’

SRINAGAR/NEW DELHI, May 17(Agencies): Security has been stepped up around the Indian Air Force (IAF) bases in Srinagar and Awantipora area after intelligence agencies warned of the possibility of a militant attack in Jammu and Kashmir.

Last month, reports had stated that the JeM was planning to attack the security forces again in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district. Intelligence agencies had warned that the attack might be carried out in the Lethipora region of the district. There have been multiple reports of possible terror attacks in the valley following the Balakot air strikes carried out by the Indian Air Force targetting Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) training camps in Pakistan.

The fresh warning echoes the last one in terms of the possible modus operandi to be used by the militant to target the security personnel in the valley.

As per the report, the militant will not use vehicle - as done during the February 14 Pulwama attack - but will target security establishments, camps, and buildings using Improvised Explosive Device (IED). On February 14, JeM operative Adil Ahmed Dar had rammed his IED-laden vehicle into a moving CRPF convoy resulting in claiming lives of at least 40 personnel.

In the meanwhile agencies reports suggested that it was the “map recovered from a dead militant which revealed a major plot to target IAF air bases in Srinagar, Awantipora.”

“Terror groups in Jammu and Kashmir are planning a major attack in the Valley. Intelligence agencies have reported that militants of Pakistan-based groups may carry out an attack on May 23, the day when counting of votes for Lok Sabha election 2019 takes place,” agencies reports stated quoting anonymous sources.

“According to sources, Indian Air Force bases in Srinagar and Awantipora are among the targets. The security forces have recovered a sketch from the body of one of the militants who was killed in Shopian on Thursday, which revealed that the terror groups were planning a fidayeen attack at Srinagar and Awantipora air bases. A meeting was held between militants commanders in Pulwama on May 14, which was attended by Hizbul Mujahideen's Riyaz Naikoo, two Jaish-e-Mohammed militants and Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) militant Riyaz Dar. All four of them have planned to launch an attack against the security and armed forces,” agencies reports said quoting sources said.

''The meeting was held to discuss and to plan a major terrorist action in the month of Ramzan, possibly around May 23, which marks the 17th Ramzan coinciding with the Battle of Badr. It's the day when counting of votes would take place for the Lok Sabha poll,” said an official working in a central intelligence agency.

“The group also wants to take revenge for the death of Rizwan Assad Pandith in police custody in Awantipora a few days ago. One of the possible targets of the terrorist attack may be on the National Highway in Awantipora or the District Police Office complex, Awantipora,” said the reports.

The report just comes a day after army, Jammu and Kashmir Police and Central Reserve Police Force gunned down six militants in Pulwama and Shopian. Two Indian army soldiers also lost their lives.