SRINAGAR: Braving an unprecedented cold wave the Indian army is on the alert along the borders of Kashmir to foil any attempt by an estimated 5000 well-trained militants to infiltrate into the strategic Kashmir valley.
This was disclosed by senior army brass to a press party from Bombay that recently visited Jammu and the Rajouri and Poonch districts on the occasion of “army day”. Helicopters equipped with night vision gadgets scour the LC to detect movement of militants while Jawans are out on night patrol for consecutive days.
Citing intelligence reports Lt.Gen Harwant Singh the general officer commanding (GOC) of a corps headquarters said 4000 youths who had crossed over Kashmir at the height of the JKLF movement had been waiting for the last eight months to return
Latest reports indicate that an additional 1000 militants owing allegiance to diverse groups were also lurking at the borders to gain access into the valley.
“There are 14 confirmed training camps for militants and at-least four other unconfirmed camps” he said While “success” has been achieved by the army in containing militants in the northern sector with 400 antinational elements captured and 36 of them killed in the last six months the presence of 5000 militants on the borders posed the “threat” of increased subversive activity in the state he said.
Asked how the militants had crossed over to POK in the first place Lt.Gen Harwant Singh cited the difficulty of totally sealing 340 km length of hilly border terrain that was not demarcated by any definite geographical boundaries or other barriers.
Article extracted from this publication >> February 1, 1991
