Possibly for the first time in Indian occupied-Kashmir, Chinese flags have been found in raids along with material that was alleged to be used by Kashmiri fighters – petrol bombs, anti-India publicity material, unauthorised cellphones and documents linked to Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba, NDTV in a report said on Wednesday.
After a hiatus of 100 days, security forces carried out extensive searches yesterday in the town of Baramulla, one of the most volatile centres in the nearly three-month-long unrest that seared the Kashmir Valley after July’s shooting of Burhan Wani, the 22-year-old commander who had won a big local following.
Baramulla, located little over 55 kms from Srinagar, was firmly in the control of the massive mobs that would defy curfew to attack security personnel and their property, including bases and vehicles. Though Pakistani flags being waved by protestors is not uncommon, intelligence agencies are concerned about the appearance of Chinese flags in recent large demonstrations.
“Over 700 houses were searched in a span of 12 hours on October 17 in an extensive search operation in the old town in Baramulla,” an army spokesman said, adding that the raids were carried out in 10 locations which were supposedly helping to shelter stone-pelters and suspected fighters.
