Over a quarter century since militancy started in Jammu & Kashmir, the security establishment is for the first time fearing that the high-altitude areas of Drass in ladakh region could be used by Pakistan-backed infiltrators as the newest ingress route.
A spate in the killing of infiltrators in Gurez, the lower area in North Kashmir adjacent to Drass, in recent times has raised this possibility among the security top brass, which is “concerned”.
The concern is both due to the possibility of opening up of a new infiltration route as also to the fact that it will be a new phenomenon for the Drass-stationed forces, which are not accustomed to counter-infiltration and counter-insurgency duties as they are involved in guarding the line of Control (loC) in Kargil region.
Known as one of the coldest inhabited places in the world, Drass, located at a height of more than 15,000 feet, has never seen infiltration from across the loC for stoking terrorism in Kashmir Valley.
Elaborating upon the latest threat perception, officials said here on Saturday that Intelligence reports indicated that terrorists were finding it difficult to sneak into North Kashmir due to the robust counter-infiltration operations in the region. With desperation mounting, the terrorists would now make attempts to try getting from Drass, the reports said.
Faced with this possibility, the security establishment will take stock of the situation in the coming days, sources said even as they did not rule out deploying additional troops in the Drass region to preempt any move by Pakistan Army and ISI to exploit the region for infiltration.
Moreover, the troops already deployed there will be reoriented for performing counter-infiltration and counter-insurgency duties, they said.
As the Army has stepped up operations in North Kashmir comprising Keran, Machhil and Tangdhar to deny freedom of movement to nearly 100 foreign militants hiding there, the ISI will try to push in militants from Drass.
Explaining the dynamics of ongoing operations in North Kashmir, they said the Army has adopted a pro-active approach there and making it difficult for the terrorists to come in from ingress routes in Uri, Keran and Machhil.
Militants were now trying to infiltrate from Gurez located at height of more than 14,000 feet in the same region and at least seven terrorists were killed by the Army on the loC in the last 10 days. Gurez is located in Bandipora district and neighbours Drass and lolab in Kashmir Valley.
Gurez sector was initially used by the militants to infiltrate in early 1990s but due to effective counter-infiltration measures, the sector was seldom used by them later, sources said. However, during the past three years terrorists have tried to sneak in through Kanzalwan and Nowshera ridges of the area located at 14,000 feet.
Highlighting the importance of the new possible threat posed by militants in Drass, officials said the desperation amongst the handlers of militants across the loC also stems from the fact that at least 42 infiltrators were killed this year along the loC while trying to sneak into Kashmir Valley. Moreover, 20 infiltration bids were also foiled, sources said.