The rugged terrain in the Keran sector of North Kashmir’s Kupwara district was cordoned off as the Indian Army jawans’ fierce gun battle with Pakistani militants entered the 13th day on Sunday. Top Army commanders visited the forward posts to oversee the operation.
Officiating Brigadier General Staff of Srinagar based XV Corps, Col Sanjay Mitra, told reporters that the series of infiltration bids started on September 23 when one militant was intercepted and killed in the lashdat Nar area. “Since then, there have been four desperate attempts of infiltration in this sector,” he said.
He added that the massive infiltration bid-cum-misadventure of Border Action Team in the area of Shalabhato was the second major event in the region, in which 30-40 terrorists contacted the anti-infiltration fence near the loC at multiple points, in order to get across the border. Heavy exchange of fire thereafter took place.
“An effective cordon is in place, with complete control and domination in the area. Extensive searches to neutralise the terrorists are on. With additional inputs coming in, we are completely prepared for all eventualities,” Col Mitra said.
He said the area of operations is at a high altitude ranging between 10,000 and 12,000 ft with thickly forested steep slopes, deep ravines and crevasses.
Even as the Army claimed that 12 infiltrators were shot dead during the combat operation, no body was retrieved from the area. However, in subsequent operations in Gujjurtor and Fateh Gali areas, on October 4 and 5, in which seven infiltrators were killed, Army claimed two bodies were found.
On Sunday, lt Gen Sanjiv Chachra, Army Commander Northern Command, and lt Gen Gurmit Singh, GOC 15 Corps, visited the area to review the ground situation. lt Gen Chachra had arrived on Saturday to oversee the troops’ preparedness along the forward posts and in hinterland. He held a detailed meeting with CM Omar Abdullah who is also the chairman of Unified Command Headquarters.
The situation in Keran sector has also reverberated in Jammu & Kashmir legislature, which is on session. The Opposition Panthers Party and BJP members sought an official statement on the issue while Awami Etihad Party chief Engineer Rashid demanded display of bodies of slain infiltrators.
Meanwhile, Pakistan High Commissioner to India Salman Bashir on Sunday termed reports of incursions by terrorists into Keran sector from Pakistani soil as "baseless" and stressed on the need to reinforce ceasefire along the line of Control (loC) between the two countries.
Stating this in Hyderabad, he said, "The narrative you are hearing about incursions and infiltrations is baseless. But, rather than commenting on this very negative narrative about incursions, what we have been saying, and repeating, is let the competent authorities, the military authorities, deal with this issue."
Reiterating that Pakistan had been a witness to the horrors of terrorism, Bashir pointed out that his country had seen a spate of terror attacks in recent days which had left hundreds of civilians and scores of security personnel dead.
"The whole narrative of terrorism by Pakistan is misplaced. We are suffering more due to terror than anyone else. What is the source of funding for these terrorists, in Pakistan, India and elsewhereIJ Fidayeen are being used as fodder. But who are their masters," he questioned.
Pakistan had evidence of this, which it shared with India and was ready to share with the world, as to who was fuelling terrorism, Bashir said. "And, you must never forget... We have exercised great restraint and responsibility and we are at the forefront of counter-terrorism measures. Unfortunately, this is never reported in the Indian media," the Pakistan envoy said.