As over 500 combat soldiers, including paratroopers, remain engaged in a sustained combing operation, which entered its 14th day on Monday, in north Kashmir’s Keran sector to flush out a large number of highly-trained militants, the three Services chiefs met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh here to take stock of security situation in the country and increasing tension on the line of Control (loC). A huge cache of arms and ammunition was also recovered from Keran.
The operation continuing since September 24 is one of the largest infiltration bids since the onset of militancy in Kashmir in early 1990s. Sources said that 30 to 40 infiltrators belonging to a bevy of militant groups, including lashkar-e-Tayyeba, Hizbul Mujahideen and Al Badr, have been intercepted at various points in a 20 km area along the loC in rugged terrain in an average altitude of 9,500 sq. feet. However, another account said that the number of militants backed by Pakistan’s Special Forces is more than 40, which is one of the main reasons for the lengthening of this operation.
In the meantime, Army chief General Bikram Singh’s visit to the US later this month, according to officials, was also postponed due to shutdown in the US. However, this came at a time when infiltrations from across the loC in Jammu and Kashmir have increased in the past few weeks and the Keran encounter continues.
Army initially said that 12 infiltrators were killed and their bodies were spotted by the combating troops. In subsequent fights on October 4 and 5, seven infiltrators have been killed. Sources said that intermittent firing is going on in Shalbattu, Gujjurtur and Fateh Gali areas.
“We conducted search operations in the sector and recovered war-like stores of arms and ammunitions,” Officiating Brigadier General Staff (BGS) Colonel Sanjay Mitra told reporters in Srinagar on Monday.
He said the recoveries included seven AK-47 rifles, four pistols, one sniper rifle, 20 grenades, two radio-sets and other war-like stores, besides medicines and food items. The Army on Sunday had recovered three AK rifles, 10 pistols, five radio-sets and other items after search operations in the sector. The MEA said based on the outcome of these efforts by Army, New Delhi “will take further necessary action as appropriate”.
As regards the meeting between the Prime Minister and the three Services chiefs, officials said the main agenda was to review the preparedness of the country’s nuclear arsenal with the top security brass, including Chiefs of the three Services. The situation in Keran sector was also reviewed along with preparedness of the Armed forces to deal with any threat within the country and from across the border, sources said.
The command and control structures of the forces handling the nuclear arsenal were discussed at the meeting of the Nuclear Command Authority headed by the Prime Minister. National Security Advisor Shiv Shankar Menon, Army Chief, Air Chief NAK Browne and Navy Chief DK Joshi attended the meeting, sources said. This review is held twice a year and the first meeting was held in February, they added.
Huge militant groups were infiltrating and ex-filtrating along the loC in early 1990s when it was not effectively fenced. However, even as the infiltration has never stopped despite Anti-Insurgency Obstacle System (AIOS) comprising fencing of the loC with electrified razor wire, mining and installation of ground sensors, the ingress of large groups was not a pattern.
Sources said the Border Action Team action-cum-infiltration is massive in recent times and one of the desperate attempts by the Pakistan-backed militants to replenish their cadre and supplies in Kashmir Valley to enhance the level of violence.
The overall violence is on a gradual decline in embattled Jammu and Kashmir but the number of incidents of violence has gone up. Official sources said that 53 security personnel have been killed in J&K this year.
Up in arms
The operation continuing since September 24 is one of the largest infiltration bids since the onset of militancy in Kashmir in early 1990s
Sources said that 30 to 40 infiltrators belonging to a bevy of militant groups, including lashkar-e-Tayyeba, Hizbul Mujahideen and Al Badr, have been intercepted at various points in a 20 km area along the loC in rugged terrain in an average altitude of 9,500 sq. feet
Another account said that the number of militants backed by Pakistan’s Special Forces is more than 40, which is one of the main reasons for the lengthening of this operation