By Binoo Joshi, IANS
Jammu : The arrest of a brilliant woman student from Jammu allegedly carrying rifle grenades meant for Hizbul Mujahideen has got police worried over the possibility of more such cases emerging in troubled Jammu and Kashmir.
In Jammu’s first case of a woman student acting as a courier for a militant group, Naheeda was nabbed last Friday with rifle grenades meant to be delivered to Hizb activists in Srinagar. The explosives were meant for a strike at the civil secretariat in the valley.
What is causing more worry to the police is that Naheeda is the daughter of a head constable in the state police and her mother is a teacher in a government school. She excelled in her academic career and was studying at a law school in Jammu.
“If young girls from such families become members of militant outfits or work for them, our task becomes difficult and that of the terrorist organisations easier,” Vaid told IANS.
“Now none is above suspicion,” said Inspector General of Police, Jammu zone, S. P. Vaid.
Naheeda, police say, was lured into militancy by surrendered militant Altaf, who she fell in love with. “She was in love with the surrendered militant, who rejoined militancy,” Vaid said.
While the police are trying to find more details about her work in the outfit, the question confronting law enforcing agencies is how to tackle the problem of students, especially girls, working for militant outfits.
In normal circumstances, police at checkpoints allow vehicles carrying girls or women to pass through without any searches. They are also not searched in passenger buses.
Naheeda’s case has made them do a rethink. “It is not an easy thing to do, for we require women police to search women and we require many women cops,” Vaid said.
In Kashmir Valley, girls used to work as arms carriers. But that was during the beginning of militancy in the state. Gradually, they started distancing themselves from these assignments, police said.
But with the Naheeda case in Jammu, police are being forced to sit up and take note. “It is a worrying scenario for us,” Vaid summed it up.