JAMMU: (PTI): Security forces have foiled a plan to blow up Banihal tunnel, the only surface link between Kashmir valley and rest of the country, by killing a militant at Banihal and arresting three others inside the tunnel. Official sources said the kingpin of a militant outfit, Bashir Ahmed, ‘was killed Dec.9 by security forces on the outskirts of Banihal, where the tunnel is situated, during a raid on his house, Bashir Ahmed’s identity was re veiled by three militants who were recently taken into custody within the Jawahar tunnel, the sources said. During their sustained interrogation, the three said they, Bashir Ahmed and seven other militants were assigned the task of blowing up the Jawahar tunnel to disrupt all land communications between Kashmir and rest of the country by agencies across the border. The sources said blowing up Jawahar tunnel and damaging the 300kmsJammuSrinagar national highway was the top priority of militants. It was heavily guarded by the Indian forces, which had orders to shoot at sight any trespassers in the zone. Militants have stepped up their operations in the valley areas of Jammu and Kashmir in the last couple of months and the Banihal tunnel is one of their mass targets.
As there is only one road linking Kashmir with the rest of the country, the sources said it would not be difficult for militants to penetrate it, even by light sporadic operations. This would create enormous difficulty for the authorities to provide adequate supplies and other necessities to the people in the valley resulting in their further alienation, the sources said.
A closure of the tunnel will cut off the valley and the Indian forces holding it would have to be sustained by air.
Meanwhile, Indian Premier P.V.Narasimha Rao Friday stressed on early measures to revive political activity in the militancy affected northern Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir, at present under president’s rule.
Rao said this while chairing a high level meeting called for a comprehensive review of the law and order situation in the militancy hit Jammu and Kashmir. Besides the prime minister, the meeting was attended by home minister $.B.Chavan, finance minister Manmohan Singh, minister of state for internal security Rajesh Pilot, governor of Jammu and Kashmir Gen (Retd) K.V.Krishna Rao, minister of state for defence Mallikarajun and chief of the army staff general B.C Joshi.
It may be recalled that there has been a growing demand from political parties in the state for involving their leaders in the decision making process.
The meeting discussed at length the present measures to check militancy in the state and providing more financial assistance 10 the state for employment schemes.
Article extracted from this publication >> December 17, 1993
