Four grenade blasts within 36 hours in Srinagar in the last two days have raised concerns in the security establishment that terrorists are now trying to spread the arc of terror to the relatively peaceful State capital in Central Kashmir. So far, terrorists are more active in South Kashmir and in an effort to gain publicity they may increase the levels of violence in Srinagar and adjoining districts in the run-up to the Republic Day, and polls later on.

Incidentally, the entire month of December last year saw just three incidents of grenade blast and figure was the same for the preceding month wherein the security forces were the target. Apprehensions are that intensity of attacks may get more serious and in an effort to gain more traction terrorists may engineer incidents even in the Jammu region.

Elaborating upon these concerns here on Saturday, officials said attacks, even small in nature, in Srinagar set alarm bells ringing in the local population especially if the blast takes place in densely inhabited areas like Lal Chowk which saw such an act on Friday. Coupled with this factor, security forces fear the various militant ‘tanzeems (organisations)’ will also make an effort to mobilise gullible minds to take to streets after an encounter thereby increasing the chances of collateral damage.

It will also go in favour of the terrorists as they get publicity, sources said. It may be mentioned here the last grenade attack in Lal Chowk took place in 2014 wherein scores of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were injured. Also, the entire last year saw more than a dozen such attacks in South Kashmir.

The four restive districts of South Kashmir including Kulgam, Anantnag, Shopian and Pulwama are frequent witness to terrorist violence and encounter with security forces. Moreover, large numbers of people try to gather near the encounter site and turn up for funeral of slain local militants. However, this phenomenon is almost negligible in Central Kashmir districts including Srinagar and Budgam, they said.

In this backdrop, terrorists will try to step up attacks in Central Kashmir by firing with automatic weapons or hurling grenades on convoys of security forces, storming Army or para-military camps in suicide attacks besides targeting local politicians to deter them from taking part in the electoral process, officials said.

As regards countering the emerging threat, they said the security establishment has already started further improving intelligence gathering network in Central Kashmir with special focus on urban areas. Explaining the rationale for increasing vigil there, they said terrorists tend to get more traction after attacks as compared to an incident or encounter in rural hinterland.

On the possibility of terrorist related incidents in the Jammu region, sources said last year saw recovery of cache of arms and ammunition from various hideouts. It indicates that though terrorists have not succeeded in carrying out their design in the region, the security forces cannot take any chances by letting their guard down.

Security has been further strengthened in Srinagar a week before the Republic Day in the wake of series of grenade attacks on security establishments recently, officials said.

“Security measures have been put in place to ensure the Republic Day passes off peacefully,” the officials said. “Security forces have been asked to remain alert and more check-points have been erected and vehicles entering the city were being checked randomly,” the officials said.

The news agency also reported that a team of the Election Commission will soon visit Jammu & Kashmir to review the situation with political leaders and other stakeholders on polls in the State.

“A team of Election Commission will visit the State soon to have a review of situation with political leaders and other stakeholders for holding the elections,” State Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Shailendra Kumar said on Friday.

On the issue of holding of simultaneous polls for the State Assembly and Lok Sabha, the CEO informed that his office had already taken necessary steps for holding the elections, but decision lies with the Election Commission, who would take a final call at an appropriate time after taking all aspects into consideration.