Srinagar: General officer Commanding (GoC) of Army’s 15 Corps, Lieutenant General B S Raju Saturday said last year till October 130 militants had managed to sneak in while as this year the figure is just 30 for the same period.
Talking to reporters at the sidelines of the passing-out-cum attestation parade at JAKLI centre at Rangreth on Srinagar outskirts, Raju credited the decline in the infiltration to effective counter infiltration measures of the Army.
“This year, we have stopped infiltration to a large extent,’’ he said. “Last year till (October) 126 militants had managed to enter into this side. This year, the figure for the same period is just 30.”
He said this morning, the Army foiled a weapons smuggling bid into Kashmir across the Kishenganga River near and recovered four AK rifles, four magazines and 240 rounds.
He said the cache was recovered because of the surveillance devices. He said the militants are being neutralised in the operations in the hinterland and also on the LoC.
“This morning, we killed two militants including one foreigner,’’ he said.
He added that after six months, the recruitment of militants went up again last month. “But for the last 15 days, it has gone down,’’ he said.
He said the recruitment of militants is little more in South Kashmir than in northern districts.
He said the economic activity has also started in Kashmir and apple and paddy cultivation has also started.
On a query about presence of militants at the launch pads, the GoC 15 Corps commander said some 250-300 militants are at the launch pads but despite their efforts, the Army has been able to prevent infiltration.
On the Shopian fake encounter, he said the Court of Inquiry (CoI) has been completed and on the basis of the inquiry we found some wrongs were committed. “We have ordered a summary of evidence and have covered some distance. Hopefully, we will reach the next stage soon,’’ he said
