Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi

New Delhi, Nov 11: Defence experts on Wednesday pointed to the possible role of Pakistan-backed overground workers in the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Kulgam district, in which three Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were injured.

Overground workers are suspected to provide civilian and underground support to Pakistan-backed militant and terrorist groups operating in Jammu and Kashmir and other parts of the country.

Commenting on the Kulgam incident and an earlier attack targeting migrant labourers, former Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police S P Vaid said there was continued movement of terrorists in the Valley.

“According to reporters, 60-70 terrorists are still active in Jammu and Kashmir, of which around 95 per cent are foreigners as local recruitments have largely reduced,” he told reporters.

Warning Pakistan, Vaid said the presence of such terrorists should concern the Army generals who, he alleged, run terror factories in Jammu and Kashmir.

He, however, maintained that such an attack could not be carried out without local support.

“It seems overground workers still have an active network, which is being used by Pakistani terrorists,” Vaid said, calling for continued search operations to flush out such elements.

Retired Brigadier Hemant Mahajan also alleged that several Pakistani agents, known as overground workers, were present in Kashmir and said their involvement in such an attack could not be ruled out.

He, however, said Wednesday's incident did not indicate the beginning of a series of terrorist attacks, arguing that militants did not have the strength to carry out sustained strikes because of the strong security grid in the Valley.

Captain Anil Gaur (Retd.) said the incident was the first attack on CRPF personnel anywhere in the country in the past 12 months, whether in Bastar, the Kashmir Valley or elsewhere.

According to Gaur, the attack could have been carried out in retaliation for a recent joint operation by the CRPF, the Army's Rashtriya Rifles and the Jammu and Kashmir Police.

“This shows that these individuals have now become desperate,” he said, appealing to residents of Jammu and Kashmir to alert security agencies about any suspicious activity in their areas.

Defence expert P K Sehgal said the attack raised several questions about the identity of the assailants, their possible links with terrorist organisations and their motives.

He questioned whether the attackers belonged to Lashkar-e-Taiba, Hizbul Mujahideen or a local group, and whether they were local militants or infiltrators. He also called for an investigation into their objectives, support networks, motivation and possible links to a larger conspiracy.

Sehgal suggested two possible reasons behind the attack. He said Pakistan often carried out such strikes before mountain passes were closed for the winter. He also speculated that some local militants might have been influenced by recent remarks made by National Conference president Farooq Abdullah.

He stressed, however, that the circumstances would become clear only after the investigation was completed.

Last month, Abdullah faced criticism after crediting Pakistan with “saving” Kashmiris. He had said the Indian state's intentions towards Kashmiris were not right and that Pakistan's diplomatic efforts had helped ensure their voices were heard globally.