'Fidayeens' making security task difficult in Jammu & Kashmir: NSG chief

NEW DELHI: Majority of the 200-250 militants operating in Jammu and Kashmir were "fidayeens" or suicide attackers which was making the task of ensuring security "more difficult", a top official of elite anti-terrorist agency NSG said on Friday.

"In Jammu and Kashmir, the number of militants is between 200-250 but you have a large quantum of force deployed there. From Pakistan-based outfits, the effort continues to send in more militants.

"The problem today is that it is more of fidayeen-kind of attacks. These are militants who come prepared to kill, cause destruction and to die. That is why defence becomes that much more difficult," National Security Guard (NSG) Chief JN Chaudhri said here.

The NSG Director General was addressing a gathering at the 55th raising day of DRDO's Laser Science and Technology Centre laboratory here. In his speech, he raised the issue of various low-intensity conflicts in the country.

Chaudhri said the level of militant violence has dropped if you compare to the 1980s, 90s and even the early part of this century but the threat of violence remains the dominant feature in many parts of our country."

He said terrorist outfits such as the Lashkar-e-Toiba and Indian Mujahideen were operating in mainland India and their targets were political and social icons as well as the common people.

"The target of terrorists is the mind of the people because if they make people feel insecure, they have achieved their target," he said.

On the situation in the North-eastern parts of the country, he said the militancy in these areas was more "ethnic-based" where almost every ethnic group has a militant group as weapons are easy to get.

The NSG chief said the government encourages these outfits to come for talks but as soon as parleys begin with one group, the other groups come up.

"It is almost like Ravan's head, you cut one and the other one comes up. As soon as you enter talks, the groups split and one person becomes pro-talks and other becomes anti-talks," he said.

Chaudhri, who has been the Director General of Assam Police, said a large number of school dropouts were taking up militancy and raised the issue of high unemployment rate in the state.