- Sputnik India, 1920
Kashmir News
Sputnik India special correspondent in Jammu & Kashmir is working 24/7 to provide an original & non-biased perception of events in the Kashmiri region.

Tensions Grip Kashmir as Militants Kill 5 Civilians, Manhunt Launched

© AP Photo / Channi AnandIndian Border Security Force (BSF) soldiers patrol near the India-Pakistan border fencing at Suchet Garh in Ranbir Singh Pura, Jammu and Kashmir, India, Jan. 23, 2020.
Indian Border Security Force (BSF) soldiers patrol near the India-Pakistan border fencing at Suchet Garh in Ranbir Singh Pura, Jammu and Kashmir, India, Jan. 23, 2020. - Sputnik India, 1920, 02.01.2023
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Officials believe Pakistan-backed insurgents have plans to intensify their activities in the relatively calmer Jammu region of Jammu and Kashmir.
A day after suspected militants killed four Hindu civilians in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri District, a blast near one of the victims' houses on Monday morning left a young child dead and injured four people, including another child.
The violence has escalated tensions in the area, as it occurred just as residents were coming to terms with what had transpired late Sunday evening. The security presence has been intensified in the district and a massive manhunt has been declared by police to locate two suspects, while the local residents continue their protests.
On Sunday evening, the two armed men allegedly arrived from the forest area in Dangri Village, located on the edge of the woods.
Villagers told police that the militants targeted three residences, asking the inhabitants to show their identity cards. Soon, nearly a dozen villagers were rounded up and sprayed with a volley of bullets.
Three died on the spot, while seven others were rushed to a nearby hospital. One of the wounded died during treatment.
According to senior police officials, villagers said that the shooting continued for around 10 minutes at three different locations, sewing panic and confusion throughout the entire community.
The militants disappeared into the forest soon after. When locals reached the sites of the shooting, they found bodies lying in a pool of blood.
© AP Photo / Dar YasinIn this Sept. 9, 2020, file photo, an Indian army convoy moves on the Srinagar- Ladakh highway at Gagangeer, northeast of Srinagar, Indian-controlled Kashmir.
In this Sept. 9, 2020, file photo, an Indian army convoy moves on the Srinagar- Ladakh highway at Gagangeer, northeast of Srinagar, Indian-controlled Kashmir. - Sputnik India, 1920, 02.01.2023
In this Sept. 9, 2020, file photo, an Indian army convoy moves on the Srinagar- Ladakh highway at Gagangeer, northeast of Srinagar, Indian-controlled Kashmir.
"We have launched a massive manhunt to nab those responsible," Additional Director General of Jammu and Kashmir Police Mukesh Singh told Sputnik on Monday.
A senior police officer said on the condition of anonymity, "We are trying to ascertain whether the blast was a result of an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) or an unexploded grenade near the scene of the crime."
All of the deceased and injured belong to the Hindu community, which has often come under attack by separatist militants, who want either independence for the Muslim majority region or its merger with Pakistan.
The recent killings, however, took place in the Jammu division, where the Hindu community constitutes the majority.
According to another senior government official, the situation in the district remains tense and efforts were made by police to suppress any communal flare ups.
Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha condemned the incident, calling it a "cowardly terror attack." "...I assure the people that those behind this despicable attack will not go unpunished. My thoughts and prayers are with the bereaved families,” he tweeted.
The Congress Party, meanwhile, has called for a shutdown to "send a strong message” to Pakistan, and appealed to residents to maintain peace.
Former State Chiefs Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti also took to Twitter to condemn the incident.
"Deeply shocked as more details emerge of this targeted attack in Rajouri district of Jammu. I unequivocally condemn this heinous attack and send my condolences to the families of the deceased. I hope those injured in this attack will make a swift and complete recovery," tweeted Omar Abdullah of the National Conference party.
Mehbooba Mufti of the Peoples' Democratic Party stated, "Condemn this cowardly act and condolences to their families. Despite being under BJP rule & its bogus claims of ending militancy, violence continues unabated. Had J&K had its own elected government, the same media would have hauled them over the coals."
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