‘Infiltration bids into JK’: MHA asks forces to intensify vigil along border

Srinagar: The Union Home Ministry has directed security forces to intensify vigil along the International Border in the wake of “repeated attempts by militants to infiltrate into Jammu and Kashmir”.
One of the top officials of Ministry of Home affairs (MHA) insisted not to be named told KNS that in the past few months, militant groups have made many attempts to infiltrate. “Militant groups have intensified their infiltration attempts along the border in Jammu and Kashmir. However most of the infiltration attempts have been foiled by our security forces deployed along the border,” the MHA official said.
He said that the infiltration attempts have been made to disturb the peaceful atmosphere in Jammu and Kashmir.
The official said that the encounter in Gurez sector yesterday which was foiled by the forces was part of such infiltration bid from across the border. “The BSF has been alerted and asked to intensify the vigil along the border to foil any attempt of infiltration,” the official maintained.
However the official said that the militant violence has come down in Jammu and Kashmir substantially ever since the state has been placed under Governor’s rule.
According to the data compiled by the Home Ministry, there has been a decrease in attacks carried out by militants since June 16 to July.
Sources said that the home Minister Rajnath Singh has also directed all concerned officials to maintain constant vigil and security on the borders.
Sources said that home minister’s directions came recently at a review meeting wherein he took stock of the security situation on borders, progress of construction of border fencing, roads and outposts along India’s borders with neighboring countries.
The official further said that, over 300 infiltrations were reported from across the LoC in 2017, the highest in the past four years. “Ceasefire violations, too, soared last year, up from 153 four years ago to 228 in 2016 and 820 in 2017” he said.
It is to mention here that an armed skirmish near the Line of Control in Gurez left six dead Tuesday, including an army officer, three soldiers and two militants.
The Army had said that a group of militants tried to infiltrate from across the LoC in Baktoor area, close to Naini post along the northern sector of the dividing line early in the morning, taking advantage of fog and bad weather.
“An infiltration bid was foiled in Gurez sector. Two militants had been killed in the operation while four soldiers including an officer were also killed,” the Army had said. (KNS)