That all is not normal in Jammu and Kashmir has been proved, once again, by the incident of an ambush by militants of an army convoy that resulted in the loss of lives of five personnel. The Union home ministry has produced figures to suggest that there has been a fall not just in terrorist attacks but also cross-border infiltration and civilian casualties in this former state between 2017 and 2022. Yet, the ground situation is far from ideal. In fact, there are concerns that the theatre of terror seems to be shifting towards Jammu, which has faced the brunt of terror strikes in recent times, with the attack on pilgrims in Reasi being the most chilling. The reasons for this transition are not far to seek. There is a line of thought that suggests that the militants and their sponsors across the border are not getting the kind of purchase from the Kashmir Valley: this may have prompted the change in direction. The strikes are also meant to disrupt the forthcoming assembly elections whose timeline had been mandated by the Supreme Court. Neither New Delhi nor Kashmir’s political leadership must retreat in the face of this intimidation: the elections must be held on time.

The J&K administration and the Centre have their task cut out for them. The region in which the spectre of terror is trying to raise its ugly head had once been a hotbed of militancy: things quietened down after an exhaustive military operation. The authorities concerned must contemplate whether a redistribution of men in fatigues and resources is necessary to fill the obvious security gaps on the ground. But a jackboot approach alone will not suffice. The key to defeating terrorism has always been about erasing the sense of alienation of the local population. Enlisting the support of the people to root out terror is a must and the measures should not remain limited to pledges of delivering welfare. A concrete road map for the renewal of J&K’s statehood and development is the need of the hour. Then — as always — there is the question of engaging Pakistan. India’s western neighbour has been bogged down with its own crises, leading to a fall in the infiltration of terrorists. But the recent spike in violence suggests that Islamabad is back to playing its old game. Is there a case for New Delhi to reset its current Pakistan policy?