Authorities have, rather belatedly, announced that ‘independent vehicles’ such as the Gujarat bus, will now be stopped and guided to a ‘safe place’ after 7 pm. What is the use of plying protected convoys, when ‘independent vehicles’ are going to be present as easy targets for terrorists? Crucially, various terrorist formations had issued specific threats of targeting Amarnath Yatra pilgrims this year. Incidents such as the attack on the yatris at Batengoo expose the State to enormous and, in this particular instance, unnecessary risk. The price of administrative incompetence and political adventurism is paid in blood, inevitably, by the security forces and by hapless civilians.

Source: dna July 13, 2017 02:37 UTC