Militants Behind Kashmir Bank Robberies
M.L. Kak
The Tribune
_________
Jammu (India):
A special police drive has been launched in the Kashmir valley to unearth the mystery behind a sudden spurt in bank robberies. Police teams have been asked to find out whether the robberies were being committed by petty criminals or by militants, who had shortage of money.
The special police drive, according to a senior government functionary, has been launched after three major bank robberies during the past one week.
In the first robbery, a branch of Jammu and Kashmir Bank was looted of Rs 16.47 lakh on November 22 which was followed by looting of Rs 90,000 from a branch of Ellaqui Dehati Bank in Anantnag district on November 24. On November 30 Rs 11 lakh were looted from a branch of Jammu and Kashmir Bank.
Reports had indicated that agencies across the border funded only foreign mercenaries forcing local rebels to make up for the cash crunch by looting the banks.
The police said soon after the major earthquake in various parts of PoK on October 8, between 400 and 500 militants crossed into Jammu and Kashmir from Uri, Machel, Karnah, Kupwara, Poonch and Rajouri.
Some infiltrators were said to have carved out hideouts in the interior areas of Srinagar. This has been the reason for the spurt in militancy-related violence and in the bank robberies.
Dec 02, 2005
M.L. Kak
The Tribune
_________
Jammu (India):
A special police drive has been launched in the Kashmir valley to unearth the mystery behind a sudden spurt in bank robberies. Police teams have been asked to find out whether the robberies were being committed by petty criminals or by militants, who had shortage of money.
The special police drive, according to a senior government functionary, has been launched after three major bank robberies during the past one week.
In the first robbery, a branch of Jammu and Kashmir Bank was looted of Rs 16.47 lakh on November 22 which was followed by looting of Rs 90,000 from a branch of Ellaqui Dehati Bank in Anantnag district on November 24. On November 30 Rs 11 lakh were looted from a branch of Jammu and Kashmir Bank.
Reports had indicated that agencies across the border funded only foreign mercenaries forcing local rebels to make up for the cash crunch by looting the banks.
The police said soon after the major earthquake in various parts of PoK on October 8, between 400 and 500 militants crossed into Jammu and Kashmir from Uri, Machel, Karnah, Kupwara, Poonch and Rajouri.
Some infiltrators were said to have carved out hideouts in the interior areas of Srinagar. This has been the reason for the spurt in militancy-related violence and in the bank robberies.
Dec 02, 2005
