Former chief minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday hit out at the Jammu and Kashmir administration for “arresting and harassing” people after four terrorist attacks in quick succession in Jammu region.

The government should keep the local population on its side if it wants to end militancy, he emphasized.

Omar was commenting on a post by the NC on ‘X’ that claimed that ordinary people were being “harassed, detained and arrested” in the Chenab valley and Pir Panjal region following a series of terrorist attacks in the past four days.

He wrote on X; “If the only tool you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail. This incompetent J&K administration only knows how to arrest, detain & harass people. They repeatedly make the same mistakes & still hope for a different outcome. To end militancy you need the local population on your side, not alienated & angry.”

The NC wrote, “JKNC has always stood for peace and against extremist forces, having lost thousands of its workers to terror and deeply understanding their pain. However, the reports from Chenab and Pir Panjal, where ordinary people are being harassed, detained, and arrested, are profoundly distressing. This must be halted immediately.”

Meanwhile, Senior Superintendent of Police, Reasi district, Mohita Sharma said 50 people have been detained for questioning in the incident of terror attack at a pilgrims’ bus on 9 June in which nine persons were killed and 41 injured.

Several suspects and others have also been detained in the Doda and Kishtwar districts following terrorist attacks at a joint operational base of the Army and police and also at a camp of the special operations group (SOG) in Doda.

The Police in Doda have released sketches of four terrorists reportedly roaming in the upper reaches of Bhaderwah, Thathri, and Gandoh. Police have announced a cash reward of Rs 5 lakhs for providing credible information on each militant.

J&K Police has appealed to the general public to provide information about the presence or movement of these terrorists on the helpline phone numbers.

A CRPF bus enroute Kashmir, caught fire at Battery Chashma on the Jammu-Srinagar highway due to short-circuiting in the engine bay. Ramban police responded to the situation and swung into action by extinguishing the fire, thereby preventing any casualty.

Senior superintendent of police (Railways) Shailender Singh reviewed the security arrangements at the railway station here in view of the upcoming Amarnath pilgrimage that begins on 29 June.

It was decided to establish a Joint Police control Room at the Railway station. The SSP stressed on exchange of information between various security agencies to thwart any terror incident and prevent any act of camouflaging by the anti-national elements.