Who are Kashmir Tigers, group behind spate of terror attacks
The Kashmir Tigers—a shadow group of the Pakistan-backed Jaish-e-Mohammad—has claimed responsibility for the Doda encounter in Jammu and Kashmir, in which four Army personnel were killed. The incident took place during a joint operation by the Rashtriya Rifles and the Special Operations Group of the J&K Police in the Desa forest belt—about 55 km from Doda on Monday evening. Here's what we know about the Kashmir Tigers group and their rise in terror activities linked to them.
Secularization: A new trend among terror groups
Authorities believe the Kashmir Tigers to be a front for the Pakistan-based terror group JeM. Security personnel report that the group emerged in Jammu and Kashmir shortly after the region's special status was revoked in August 2019. Unlike other terror groups with distinctly Islamic names like JeM, Allah Tigers, and Hizbul Mujahideen, the Kashmir Tigers and similar new groups have names without religious connotations.
Recent attacks attributed to the Kashmir Tigers
In December 2021, the relatively unknown Kashmir Tigers made headlines by claiming responsibility for an attack on a police bus in Srinagar. The attack, which was the first major assault on security forces after revocation of special status, resulted in two policemen killed and 14 injured. Police reported that terrorists fired indiscriminately at a bus of the 9th Battalion of J&K Police's armed wing in Zewan, injuring 16 officers. Two later died at the Army's 92 Base Hospital at Badamibagh.
Kashmir Tigers responsible for several attacks
Since then, the Kashmir Tigers have been responsible for several attacks in the Union Territory, especially recently. On June 12, the group claimed responsibility for an attack at the Army's Temporary Operating Base in Doda. The attack occurred at a joint checkpoint of the police and Rashtriya Rifles in Chattargala, near the Sarthal area of Kathua district. According to the Indian Express, the terrorists also hurled a grenade, injuring security personnel.
Rise in terror attacks over past month
Notably, the relatively peaceful Jammu region has seen a rise in terror attacks over the past month. According to PTI, over 70 people, including 52 security personnel—mostly Army—have been killed in terror-related incidents in Jammu since 2021. Most casualties occurred in Rajouri and Poonch districts, where 54 terrorists were also eliminated. Officials attribute the surge in attacks to revived infiltration routes, reduced force deployment, highly trained terrorists, and weakened intelligence networks.
