Kathua attack alarming, administration should be more vigilant: Omar Abdullah

SRINAGAR: The killing of five army soldiers in a militant attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua district is alarming, National Conference leader Omar Abdullah said on Tuesday while accusing the union territory's administration of being lax towards the security situation.

The attack took place on Monday when a group of heavily-armed terrorists ambushed a patrolling party in Badnota area in Kathua. A massive search operation is underway to nab the terrorists behind the ambush in which five people were also injured.

"It is very unfortunate. I think no criticism of this attack is strong enough. To lose five brave army soldiers in the line of duty in one attack is something we should all be alarmed by," Abdullah told PTI Videos.

The NC vice president and former chief minister of the erstwhile state of J-K said the administration needs to be more vigilant.

"We have been saying time and again that militancy is a problem in J-K and you can't wish it away. This government had convinced itself that somehow August 5, 2019 is the solution to all the problems, including violence and terror, but clearly that's not the case," he said referring to the day Article 370 was abrogated and the state downgraded into the union territories of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.

"I think the administration in J-K needs to be more vigilant, I think they are showing rather lax tendency with regard to the security situation and hopefully attacks like this won't happen again," Abdullah added.

Will the recent spurt in terror attacks, especially in Jammu region, have an impact on the conduct of assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir?

"Assembly elections are a matter of Supreme Court order and I do not believe that the security situation is so bad that elections cannot take place. We have had elections in 1996, we have had elections to parliament in 1998, 1999 when I believe the situation was much worse.

"So, unless the government is ready to accept that the situation here today is worse than it was in 1996, I think elections must go ahead," Abdullah replied.

Referring to security being withdrawn for some politicians, he said it was fine if done so on the basis of proper analysis and a proper security assessment.

"But we have seen that both providing security and withdrawing security in J-K is largely a political thing. It is done on political considerations. So that I think needs to be avoided," Abdullah added.