Hizbul Mujahedeen still poses threat to India, says Home Secretary LC Goyal

NEW DELHI: Home Secretary LC Goyal told a parliamentary committee last month that there is a “noticeable decline” in public support for terror outfits in Jammu & Kashmir, but cautioned that the country should be on its guard against the activities of Pakistan-based Hizbul Mujahedeen (HuM).

Goyal’s deposition before the parliamentary panel on March 26 is now made public in the committee’s report laid before the Rajya Sabha on April 23.

The home secretary had told the committee that the HuM is a threat to both J&K as well as other parts of the country.“In the hinterland, no major incidents have taken place barring three minor incidents. This is largely because of the fact that we were able to neutralise a number of Indian Mujahedeen modules in 2013-14. But some remnants of Hizbul Mujahideen based in Pakistan are still creating a situation where we need to be on our guard. I would like to assure the committee that the government is alive to these challenges on the internal security front,” Goyal told the panel.

He pointed a finger at Pakistan, saying J&K was suffering from Pakistan-sponsored cross-border terrorism while terrorism in the hinterland “also has, more often than not, crossborder links”.