In last one week, security forces averted two infiltration bids on the Line of Control in Kupwara sector killing six infiltrators. The back-to-back infiltration attempts are worrying especially after few ceasefire violations on the LoC and International border.
Compared to previous years the last couple of years saw major drop in the infiltration attempts, however, it never stopped completely and the security forces the Army and Border Security Forces manning the Line of Control and the International border are keeping close eye on LoC and border spread over hundreds of kilometers.
Officials say that ahead of winter, the handlers in Pakistan are making every attempt to push in infiltrators from launch pads based in Pakistan into Rajouri-Poonch and Kupwara-Baramulla sectors. Thiugh many of these attempts have been foiled, however there is possibility some attempts might have been sucessful.
Officers tackling infiltration say the area opposite the kupwara border belt is notorious for infiltration due to dense forests and foliage and claim that least 16 launching pads are located in PoK which are used for attempts of infiltration into Kashmir.
Director General of Police, J&K, Dilbag Singh who visited Kupwara last week termed the situation on LoC was under control. Army’s top commander in Kupwara GoC 28 infantry Division, Major General GoC 28 infantry Division Girish Kalia addressing media persons said that regular attempts of infiltration are being made from the PoJK and 10 infiltration attempts made from from Kupwara led to the killing of 27 terrorists.
On October 21, two militants had been killed in an infiltration attempt which was foiled by security forces in Uri sector of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district. The forces had recovered war-like stores, including two AK series rifles, six pistols, four Chinese grenades, blankets and two blood-stained bags containing Pakistan and Indian currency notes, Pakistan medicines and eatables.
On September 30, the security forces foiled an infiltration bid by killing two infiltrators along the LoC in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district. The army’s Chinar Corps had also recovered arms and ammunition from the slain. The recovered ammunition included two AK rifles, two hand grenades, a pistol and other war-like stores.
On September 16, the security forces had foiled an infiltration attempt on the LoC in Hatlanga village in Uri, killing three militants who, it said, were trying to cross-over from the other side while Pakistan soldiers stationed there provided cover fire. On August 6, a militant was killed in a joint operation conducted by the Indian Army and Kupwara police in Tangdhar sector. Police had said a terrorist was killed in an encounter while trying to infiltrate along the LoC in the Amrohi area of Tangdhar sector. Two to three other militants accompanying the slain terrorist had escaped back to Pakistan side of LoC, the police had said.
On July 19, two Pakistan militants were killed as security forces had foiled an infiltration bid in Machhil sector of Kupwara. The forces had then launched a thorough search in the morning, resulting in recovery of four AK series rifles, one under barrel grenade launcher (UBGL), five UBGL grenades, nine magazines, 175 AK rounds, six hand grenades, tactical vests and large quantity of war like stores.
In June, the security forces had foiled a major infiltration bid by killing four militants along the LoC in north Kashmir’s Kupwara on June 23, the police had said. They had recovered a huge cache of arms and ammunition, including nine AK series rifles, three pistols, four grenades, 288 AK and pistol rounds, 55 suspected narco packets and other huge quantities of war-like stores.
On June 16, the army and police foiled another major infiltration bid at Jumgund Keran close to the LoC in the Kupwara district and killed five unidentified foreign militants. On June 13, two unidentified militants were killed in a joint operation in Kupwara district on the LoC. Two infiltrators were also gunned down near the LoC in the Machhil sector on May 3.
As MHA the Government of India has adopted a well coordinated and multi-pronged strategy to tackle the cross-border infiltration. This includes tactical deployment of forces at International Border (IB)/Line of Control (LoC), use of technology like Surveillance Cameras, Night Vision Cameras, Heat Sensing Gadgets, etc., multi-tiered deployment along IB/LoC, border fencing, deployment of intelligence personnel to collect advance and target-oriented inputs on infiltration, ambushes and foot-patrolling by Army/Border Security Force (BSF), establishment of Border Police Posts and generating local intelligence and taking pro-active action against infiltrators.
