SOG personnel conduct long-range patrol, mock drill in Samba, heighten militarized atmosphere
Jammu: The Special Operations Group of Indian police conducted long-range patrolling and a so-called anti-militancy mock drill in Samba district of Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), causing concern among commuters and residents and further intensifying the atmosphere of militarization in the area.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the long-range patrolling covered nearly 20 km from Jatwal to Lala Chak along the Jammu-Pathankot highway. It was followed by a mock drill at a police post in Lala Chak.
Indian officials claimed the exercise was aimed at assessing operational preparedness of personnel to respond to a simulated militant attack, strengthening security arrangements and ensuring prompt response to any contingency.
During the exercise, two personnel acting as simulated militants were shown carrying out an attack on an establishment. The SOG personnel subsequently cordoned off the area and neutralized the simulated threat, officials said.
Such exercises have become a routine feature across IIOJK, where Indian forces frequently conduct mock drills, cordon and search operations, checkpoints and patrols in the name of security. The frequent staging of such drills in civilian areas has raised concerns over further militarization and the intimidation of local peopulation.
The latest exercise comes amid heightened security measures across IIOJK, particularly ahead of Indian Independence Day, with additional checkpoints, frisking and surveillance reported in several areas. The continued militarization of civilian spaces has further disrupted normal movement and contributed to an atmosphere in which Kashmiris remain under constant surveillance. KMS-23S
