Mines no solution to infiltration
From M.L. Kak
Tribune News Service

RAJOURI (Jammu), Nov 20 — The defence authorities are not in favour of mining those stretches of the Line of Control (LoC) which are used as routes for infiltration by the militants on the plea that insurgents with the help of Pak troops "breach the mines by breaching equipment to provide safe corridor to the infiltrators."

The maize rich areas of the district and its adjoining belt of Poonch with lofty mountains, deep ravines and dense forests have been used by Pak-trained militants and foreign mercenaries for infiltrating into the Jammu sector. Since several villages are split on either side of the LoC in Poonch and Rajouri, mining of the border has been avoided to ensure that civilians do not get killed while trampling on the mined areas.

According to Maj-Gen G.S. Negi, in charge of the counter-insurgency operations in Rajouri, Poonch and Udhampur districts, laying of mines was no foolproof solution to the problem of infiltration because it had been found that cattle and other animals stray on the mined areas resulting in their death.

He said in mountainous terrain it was "difficult to lay mines everywhere." "Laying of mines is not feasible where the areas are dominated by fire and the enemy has a clear view of the mined belts," he said.

General Negi stated that "sensors to detect movement of militants is already in the advance stage of procurement." He made it clear that since the procurement of sensors was a "costly" programme it would take some time to install sophisticated gadgets,

In reply to a question, he said Pakistan "has responded to the Kargil defeat by stepping up militancy-related violence in the state. Among the large number of militants pushed into the state after Operation Vijay included foreign mercenaries and criminals who were undergoing life term punishment in various jails in Pakistan."

He admitted that militants had extended the areas of operation in the Poonch, Rajouri and Udhampur belts in order to boost the morale of secessionists but "we have succeeded in eliminating large number of them though we too suffered casualties." He was hopeful that with the cooperation of the people his men would be able to tame the Pak-aided militants.

General Negi did not rule out the possibility of militants carrying out armed attacks on the security pickets and camps on the pattern of the attacks witnessed in recent months in Srinagar and Kupwara but made it clear that the troops in Rajouri, Poonch and Udhampur were fully prepared for any contingency. "In case militants attempted Srinagar or Kupwara-type attacks, they will have to pay a heavy price," he commented.

The Defence Ministry authorities admit that counter-insurgency operations in the hilly belts of Poonch and Rajouri are not easy. Militants have carved out hideouts in mountain caves and deep nullahs and before carrying out operations for flushing out the insurgents, the troops have to adopt all possible precautionary measures.

Pakistani troops have targeted Indian border villages and posts on this side of the LoC in Poonch and Rajouri by resorting to heavy mortar shelling. This has kept engaged the Indian troops for most of the time in carrying out retaliatory measures to silence the Pak guns.

At the same time, the authorities in charge of the counter-insurgency operations do not feel the pinch of shortage of troops. "We have enough forces to deal with the militants. In the Romeo sector two more battalions of the BSF are being deployed to take on the militants," General Negi said.

He admitted the need for launching multi-pronged operations against the militants but did not approve of the demand for sending more than two battalions of troops to carry out "seek and destroy" operations.

He said "past experience has shown that operations carried out by small groups of troops have yielded better results than putting a couple of battalions on the job. We could kill just six militants when we have moved more than two battalions to carry out counter-insurgency operations".