New Delhi:
The two terrorists who put Srinagar through a 22-hour encounter that ended on Thursday were guided, step by step, on the phone by Pakistani handlers.
Cell phone conversations intercepted by Indian intelligence agencies reveal the following sort of exchange.
Terrorist: hum phans chuke hai (we are now trapped)
Handler: shahdat se pehle zaida se zaida policewalon ko maro, hotel mein aag laga do (Kill as many policemen as possible, set the hotel on fire before you attain martyrdom) zaida se zaida nuksaan pahunchao (inflict as much damage as possible)
Terrorist: jaldi kuch karo (do something quickly)
Handler: aur bande tayaar hai hamla karne ke liye (more volunteers are ready to attack)
Terrorist: khel khatm hone wala hai (the game (encounter) is about to end)
Handler: daro nahin tumhe jaldi tumhe rab mil jayega...khuda mil jayega (don't be afraid, you are going to heaven, you are going to meet Khuda)
On Wednesday, two terrorists armed with AK 47s and grenades stormed Lal Chowk in the heart of Srinagar. As the police retaliated, the terrorists, allegedly from the Lashkar-e-Taiba, rushed into Hotel Punjab. 600 civilians were evacuated from surrounding areas. The two militants holed themselves up on the top floor of the hotel.
Security forces finally entered the hotel on Thursday morning. Both terrorists were killed. Another two people died in the encounter; nine were injured.
On Friday, the central government told the Supreme Court that it will not revoke a ban imposed late in 2009 on pre-paid cellphone connections for the state of Jammu and Kashmir. This, the Centre insists, is a security precaution. Cellphone sim cards were being misused by terrorists. But many in Kashmir say the ban leaves 39 lakh people without mobile connectivity, most of who cannot afford post-paid services.
Cell phone conversations intercepted by Indian intelligence agencies reveal the following sort of exchange.
Terrorist: hum phans chuke hai (we are now trapped)
Handler: shahdat se pehle zaida se zaida policewalon ko maro, hotel mein aag laga do (Kill as many policemen as possible, set the hotel on fire before you attain martyrdom) zaida se zaida nuksaan pahunchao (inflict as much damage as possible)
Terrorist: jaldi kuch karo (do something quickly)
Handler: aur bande tayaar hai hamla karne ke liye (more volunteers are ready to attack)
Terrorist: khel khatm hone wala hai (the game (encounter) is about to end)
Handler: daro nahin tumhe jaldi tumhe rab mil jayega...khuda mil jayega (don't be afraid, you are going to heaven, you are going to meet Khuda)
On Wednesday, two terrorists armed with AK 47s and grenades stormed Lal Chowk in the heart of Srinagar. As the police retaliated, the terrorists, allegedly from the Lashkar-e-Taiba, rushed into Hotel Punjab. 600 civilians were evacuated from surrounding areas. The two militants holed themselves up on the top floor of the hotel.
Security forces finally entered the hotel on Thursday morning. Both terrorists were killed. Another two people died in the encounter; nine were injured.
On Friday, the central government told the Supreme Court that it will not revoke a ban imposed late in 2009 on pre-paid cellphone connections for the state of Jammu and Kashmir. This, the Centre insists, is a security precaution. Cellphone sim cards were being misused by terrorists. But many in Kashmir say the ban leaves 39 lakh people without mobile connectivity, most of who cannot afford post-paid services.
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