During his visit to Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday, Deputy Prime Minister Lal Kishenchand Advani will tell Chief Minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed that a couple of more terrorist attacks -- like the one in Pulwama in which 24 people were killed -- will invite President's rule in the state, according to an official.

The Special Secretary in the home ministry, Ashok Kumar Bhandari, has already left for Srinagar, he told rediff.com on condition of anonymity.

"The deputy prime minister is likely to warn the Mufti that disbanding the Special Operations Group has not helped curb terrorist activities in the state. Therefore, a couple of more such incidents will ensure the clamping Article 356 of the Constitution in J&K," he said.

The Mufti is already being criticised for his "healing touch" policy, which has not had the desired effect.

While the Centre is extending all help to the state government, the killings indicate that a soft approach towards terrorists may aggravate the situation in the state, he said.

Till now the Centre has not interfered much because law and order is a state subject, according to the official.

"However, the chief minister is being reminded that the Centre would not be an idle spectator if incidents of terrorist violence escalate," he said.

The Bharatiya Janata Party has once again said that the state government, by "mollycoddling" terrorists, has emboldened them.

BJP president M Venkaiah Naidu described the massacre as ethnic cleansing while an "indulgent state government looks on".

The official said that even though the policemen assigned to guard the massacred Pandits have been suspended, the state government would have to explain the "laxity" in security arrangements.

"This time, the J&K chief minister cannot get away my mouthing inanities and vague theories. He will have to give a cogent explanation," the official said.

Panun Kashmir vice-chairperson Dr Shakti Bhan alleged that the policemen were in league with the terrorists.