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A day after suspected militants killed a retired soldier and injured his wife and niece in south Kashmir, Jammu and Kashmir Police detained more than 500 individuals across the Kashmir Valley.
Many of those arrested are relatives of Kashmiri militants residing in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), The Indian Express reported.
The news report quoted a senior police officer as saying that there have been large-scale arrests across the Valley, and the number exceeds 500.
The officer added that such measures are meant to send a clear message to militants operating from across the border that such attacks will not be tolerated.
Attack on retired soldier’s family
On Monday, unidentified gunmen targetted retired soldier Manzoor Ahmad Wagay, his wife, and her niece in Behibagh village, Kulgam. Wagay, 45, succumbed to gunshot wounds to his abdomen, while the two women were injured in their legs and are receiving medical treatment.
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A police source described the assault as a significant provocation, noting that the militants have crossed a red line by targetting the family of a soldier.
This marks the first instance of militants targeting civilians in Kashmir this year. In response, J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha have denounced the attack.
“I am deeply saddened by the tragic killing of ex-serviceman Manzoor Ahmad Wagay. My heartfelt condolences to his family, and prayers for the swift recovery of his injured wife and niece. Such heinous violence has no place in our society and must be condemned in the strongest terms,” Abdullah stated in a post on X.
Unprecedented detentions of militants’ relatives
While police have previously seized the properties of Pakistan-based Kashmiri militants, this is the first instance where their relatives have been detained in such large numbers. This move reflects the authorities' commitment to curbing militant activities and maintaining security in the region, the news report said.
(With agency inputs)
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