Terrorists have struck at banks and their assets four times in three days in south Kashmir.
Two banks, 30 km apart, in Kashmir's Pulwama district were robbed by terrorists in a span of two hours today, taking the number of such heists this week to three. Nearly Rs 6 lakh in cash was taken. Bank robbery by terrorists has started in Kashmir since demonetisation. Nearly a dozen banks have been targeted since November.
Authorities said around 1.50 pm, two to three terrorists struck at the Wahibugh branch of Elaquai Dehati Bank and took away near 5 lakh at gunpoint. This was the second attack on the same bank in two days. Yesterday, they had taken away a relatively smaller amount -- Rs 65,000 in the nearby district.
Around 3.30 in the afternoon, another group of terrorists struck at the Nehama branch of the Jammu and Kashmir Bank, making off with over one lakh.
The spate of attacks this week had started on Monday, when a group of Hizbul Mujahideen terrorists targeted a van of Jammu and Kashmir bank, killing five policemen and two guards from a private company. The van was returning after delivering cash in Kulgam. The terrorists had stopped the vehicle, ordered its occupants to come out and then shot them down. They had carried off the rifles of the policemen.
Today, the Jammu and Kashmir Police announced a reward of Rs 5 lakh for information on terrorists behind the attack.
Over the last few years, South Kashmir has become the hub of terror activities. Authorities say large armed groups roam the countryside unchecked. But since November, incidents of robbery have been on the rise. In several instances, policemen were targeted at their home and robbed of weapons.
Last November, the Centre had banned high denomination currency notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000. One of the aims of the move, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said during his surprise announcement on November 8, was to stop the flow of counterfeit currency from across the border which is being used to fund terror activities.