Residents of Kastigarh, a sub-district in central Jammu and Kashmir, say they are staying close to their homes following a recent attack by anti-India militants that injured two soldiers who were sheltering in a dilapidated school after a patrol.
A large group of Indian forces “had decided to rest in the school after a long search in the area. At around 2 a.m. we woke up to gunfire and realized that militants had attacked them,” said a local resident who requested anonymity to discuss the pre-dawn July 18 incident.
“Since then we have been living in fear. People prefer not to venture alone, especially after dark, for safety,” he told VOA.
The patrol at Kastigarh was part of a larger effort of the Indian army to search for anti-India militants believed to be hiding in the dense forests and remote areas of the larger Doda district, which includes Kastigarh.
In recent months, the Jammu region of the disputed Himalayan territory has witnessed 14 skirmishes between anti-India militants and security forces, resulting in the deaths of 10 soldiers, nine civilians and five militants.
“This is the first attack in our village in 20 years. I remember the previous incident that took place in 2004 during the elections,” Kumar said. “Soldiers nowadays regularly patrol in our area and during that time we feel secure,” he added, saying that the villagers did not observe any suspicious activity before or after the shootout.
In June 2023, VOA reported a resurgence of militancy by separatist insurgents in Jammu after a 14-year gap. This year, the armed conflict has expanded from two to four districts, including the Hindu-dominated Reasi district.
“The deployment of troops to address border tensions with China in Ladakh has resulted in a relatively lower presence of security forces in certain areas of Jammu,” said Deependra Singh Hooda, a former commanding-in-chief of the Indian army’s Northern Command.
“This reduced security presence has provided an opportunity for terrorists to establish a foothold and increase their activities in the region,” he told VOA.
The first major attack of the year took place in Reasi district on June 9, the day Prime Minister Narendra Modi took his oath for a third consecutive term. Militants reportedly chased a passenger vehicle carrying Hindu pilgrims and later opened fire on it. The driver lost control and the vehicle fell into a gorge, resulting in the deaths of nine pilgrims, including an infant.
India blames Pakistan for the rise in militancy in the part of the disputed territory under New Delhi’s control. Islamabad rejects the charge.
Ayaz Gul and Sarah Zaman contributed to this report.
