By: Tariq Dar
It’s a Sunday. The war clouds are staring at us from the TV screens though the hustle bustle on the streets of Srinagar betray the current war hysteria.
A phone call adds to the early morning chaos. Dead body of a young man was found in a river flowing across South Kashmir’s Kulgam District. It doesn’t take much time for the usual suspects to blame it on security forces. To them, this is the revenge of the terror attack on tourists in Pahalgam. Euphemisms like ” collective punishment” and “foul play” are being thrown around. Political leaders,social activists and media platforms are at the forefront of yet another mass campaign. Demands of judicial investigation and impartial probe are in the air.
Security establishment is watching from the sidelines.They are familiar with this playbook but this time they are prepared.
Yes, Imtiaz Parrey was picked up by the police for his role in terror activities. He was an overground worker for the terrorists and after two days in detention , he finally accepted his involvement and agreed to guide the security forces to the terrorist hideout. A search operation was planned . The terrain is quite treacherous and as the soldiers cautiously approached the hideout amongst the steep rocky cliffs, Imtiaz jumped into the river stream flowing furiously by the side. It was a calculated risk by him to escape but the flow was too fast for him to negotiate.
The story would have been brushed aside , but the Army is smarter this time. They monitored the entire operation through drones and by evening the recording was made public. It is clear for everyone to see. There is no scope for any allegation against the security forces now.
The terror ecosystem has lost this particular round. But they will be waiting to strike again. At every possible opportunity.
Meanwhile, it’s time for another tragedy. Three soldiers have died after their Army vehicle skidded off the road and plunged into a 700 foot deep gorge in Ramban district, not very far from Kulgam.
Unlike Imtiaz Parrey, no one here knows the names of these three soldiers. There are hardly any obituaries for those who died in the line of duty.
Rest in Peace. Subedar Sujeet Kumar, Lance Naik, Man Bahadur Thapa and Driver Amit Kumar. We Salute Your Sacrifice.
