Abid Bashir
Srinagar (NVI): At least 250 militants are waiting at terror launch pads across the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir, in a bid to sneak into this side before the snowfall starts, a senior army officer said today.
However, the officer said that alert India troops, who are well-equipped with latest technology, are ready to foil any infiltration attempts by the militants along LoC.
Speaking to media on the sidelines of ‘Machil Mela’ in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district, General officer Commanding (GoC) of Kupwara based Army’s 28-division, Major General ADS Aujla said, “Troops are laced with the latest equipment and ready to foil all the infiltration bids.”
On possible infiltration bids this year, he said that 250 militants are ready to infiltrate this year as they are ready on the launch pads across the LoC.
The GoC also said that no new youth has joined militancy in the entire Kupwara district in the past one year. “No agitation, no stone pelting, no recruitment has happened for the past one year in Kupwara district,” he said.
“After remaining the hub of militancy for almost 30 years, Kupwara is growing as a most normal district in the region. People here haven’t joined militant ranks for a year now and no drone attempt to drop weapons close to LoC has been made so far,” said Major Gen. Aujla.
Referring to Pakistan’s use of winter cover (White cover recovered from slain militants killed in Keran sector in winters), the GoC said the army is well trained and laced with latest equipment that will help trace and track the infiltrators, using white cover.
To a question on the deployment or Army’s women wing in the district, he said they have deployed Army constables at some vital places to stop the smuggling of weapons, currency and drugs in the Tandghar area of the district.
“Women soldiers are frisking women carriers of militants which earlier was an issue for us as we couldn’t frisk women carriers. Women soldiers are assisted by the women SPOs of (J&K) Police. Let me tell you, since the deployment of women soldiers, we have been able to plug the supply of drugs, Pakistani currency, weapons, etc,” said the GoC.
Replying to another query on the use of drones to deliver weapons, GoC Aujla said that this is a reality but there is nothing such in the Kuwpara district and this is happening in Jammu and Punjab divisions only. “Our deployment and high altitude is a major challenge for them to use drones to drop the weapons,” the Army officer said.
-ARK
