Militants in JK facing “crisis of leadership, resources”, NIA looking into lapses in Pulwama attack: Rajnath

New Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday told Rajya Sabha the upper house of Parliament that militants in Jammu and Kashmir are facing a “crisis of leadership and resources”, adding that “security forces have kept them under check.
Replying to supplementaries during the Question Hour, the Defence Minister said an NIA probe is on into the February 14 Pulwama attack.
“Once the probe is over, only then can an answer in this regard be given by the Home Ministry,” he informed the House after members asked if there was any intelligence or security lapse in the suicide attack in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed.
“In Jammu and Kashmir, our security forces are maintaining best coordination between the Army, central armed forces, JK Police and intelligence.
He said the security forces have kept a check on activities of the militants. “I want to tell you that as of now, there is a crisis of leadership and resources” among the militants, Singh told Rajya Sabha.
He said the fatal casualties suffered by Army personnel during militant attacks/tactical action in 2018 were 12, while the same were 13 in 2017 and six in 2016.
The minister said there are four types of casualties in the Army – infiltration bids eliminated, counter insurgency operations, militant initiated incidents and tactical actions.
He said the casualties he mentioned earlier pertained to tactical actions and total casualties in other activities could be more.
Singh said all the forward posts are adequately strengthened to withstand militant attacks. “Continuous improvements, including the use of modern technology, in the defences are made to make them more robust and resilient,” Singh said in his written reply