Aabida Lost to Terror

Terrorism is the worst scourge that can have a devastating impact on human lives. Jammu and Kashmir has been going through conflict that has devastated many lives and subjecting people to pain and agony. But the people of Kashmir in particular and Jammu and Kashmir in general have braved this evil with tremendous courage. But it cannot be denied that Pakistan sponsored terrorism has rendered many families into distress. The tragic end of 39 year Aabida yesterday cannot be condemned in mere words. She had gone out with her family and three little children to enjoy life and witness the Sunday market but this young woman from Bandipura did not know what fate had in store for her. She was hit by a splinter from a recent grenade attack near the TRC in Srinagar’s bustling flea market. She was battling for her life in the ICU of SMHS hospital. Ultimately she has succumbed and a precious life has been lost to terror in Kashmir, leaving three innocent children motherless. It was The Rising Kashmir that internalised the sensitivity of the case and carried a front page story titled “TRC grenade attack victim Aabida awaits justice in SMHS ICU”on 11th November issue; highlighting the viciousness of the terrorism that can devastate happy families for no fault of theirs. While speaking to The Rising Kashmir the relatives of Aabida were right in saying as to what the fault of her was and what people want in Kashmir is peace and justice. They pleaded that police and administration bring her perpetrators to justice. There has been a rise in the targeted killings and targeting of people in crowded places besides the attacks on the security forces. If analysed in totality there seems to be a clear cut strategy being implemented by the terror modules. That is to indulge in multi-pronged terror acts. These range from targeting the security forces in ambushes, creating mayhem in crowded places like the Sunday market in which Aabida lost her life and targeted killings of the non-locals. These different forms of attacks are enabling the terror operatives to exploit the gaps in the security preparedness. The Rising Kashmir has been constantly raising these issues to do the course correction. So that innocent lives are saved. There is an urgent need to overhaul the present approach so that a comprehensive counter-terrorism strategy is put in place. In his recent statement, Union Home Minister Amit Shah at the Anti-Terror Conference -2024 at Sushma Swaraj Bhawan, New Delhi stressed the need for sharing the information about terrorism among the various security agencies at different levels. It is indeed of paramount importance that security agencies join hands at local and national level. So that a collaborative effort is made to put breaks in rising cases of terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir. The phase of relative normalcy and peaceful democratic process has indeed unnerved the terror operatives. It has prompted them to indulge in acts of sabotage. Time has come to identify the dormant sleeper cells that are waiting to strike and cause panic in Jammu and Kashmir. Innocent civilians like Aabida need to be saved from the tragic end due to security lapses. Terrorists can’t be allowed to go scot-free. Now the ball is in the court of policy makers and security experts to nab her killers. Justice must be delivered in this case and her family needs both emotional support of the society and the financial support for her children who have lost their mother at an age when they needed their mother the most to be nurtured in her care. Society at large must internalise that terrorist violence in any form has to be discouraged and harmony upheld at all costs.