SIRINAGAR: The defense authorities continued to be baffled on the disappearance of four Jawans who were guarding the border on the Karna sector of Azad Kashmir. Though the army authorities kept it a secret the ex-chairman of Kashmir assembly Mr. Abdul Ghani Lone has alleged that 12 Jawans have crossed into the Azad Kashmir Territory. In a statement issued at Siri Nagar Mr. Lone said that during his recent tour of that area he has received an authentic report that the twelve soldiers have deserted their company and crossed over to Azad Kashmir territory. He alleged that the army authorities have created a reign of terror in the border villages in the Karna sector in search of these soldiers. Lone said that the residents of the border villages are being harassed by the police and the army under the pretext that some of the families have helped them in crossing the border. However the defense sources denied Lone’s allegation and stood with their earlier claims that only four soldiers have deserted. It may be recalled that earlier also some soldiers had deserted at the time of Operation Blue Star in 1984.
Article extracted from this publication >> November 18, 1988
