Militants trying to infiltrate from other routes: Lt Gen Ranbir Singh

Amir Karim Tantray

Tribune News Service

Bhaderwah (Doda), October 11

Infiltration from the Pakistani side is not confined to the Line of Control (LoC) and International Border (IB) in Jammu and Kashmir. The militants are now trying to infiltrate through other borders outside the state. This was disclosed by Northern Command chief, Lt Gen Ranbir Singh, today during an interaction with the media after inaugurating ‘Sangam’ youth festival at the Bhaderwah campus of the University of Jammu (JU) here.

“There have been several reports regarding infiltration by terrorists into J&K. However, as far as the counter-infiltration grid is concerned, it is very strong and we are able to thwart the infiltration bids at the LoC itself. It is a multi-tier grid and if militants try to sneak in by breaching the first grid, the second grid will catch them. But if they manage to breach the second grid also, they are eliminated by other grids,” he said.

“There are reports that infiltration is taking place but since the grid is strong on the LoC, we have reports that infiltration is taking place from other borders and from there onwards, they try to come to J&K through Lakhanpur and other areas. But be assured that we will be able to stop the infiltration in the best possible manner,” he added.

The Army commander said terror camps and launching pads inside Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) were active and around 500 terrorists were always present there. “In J&K, 200 to 300 terrorists are active and around 500 terrorists are present in launching pads and terror camps across the LoC. But the number is approximate and keeps changing,” he said.

He said militants in the state were facing a shortage of weapons. “It is the reason they are attacking police stations and snatching rifles from SPOs,” he said.

Speaking on the Kashmir valley, he said the situation was improving since the abrogation of Articles 370 and 35A.