Fayaz Bukhari
Gulmarg sector LoC, Jan 23: Ahead of Republic Day celebrations, Army has intensified patrolling and tightened its vigil along the 400 kilometer long Line of Control (LoC) in Kashmir, despite several feet of snow and freezing temperatures, to foil any infiltration attempts.
Major Vishal Mahajan of the Army in Gulmarg sector of North Kashmir said that Army has intensified patrolling and alertness along the LoC ahead of Republic Day celebrations to prevent any attempts by militants to infiltrate into Kashmir.
“We are alert and we are ready to deal with any threat. There is alert along the entire LoC to deal with any threat posed by the enemy. We are maintaining this vigil round the clock”, he said.
When asked about the alert on the LoC after attack on Pathankot Air Force base, Major Vishal said: “There is 24 hours alertness and when there is any input we intensify patrolling. When it snows we change the pattern of patrolling but we never stop it.”
The Army officer said that when the LoC fence, the major counter-infiltration obstacle, gets buried under snow in winters, the regular patrols are being conducted along the fence to prevent the infiltrators from crossing the LoC. “There are troops deployed along the fence and we conduct regular patrols, ambushes to prevent any infiltration when fence is buried under snow”, he added.
Major Vishal said that besides this, in winters all the surveillance equipments remain deployed along the fence to pick up any movements of infiltrators along the LoC.
The Army officer said that weather and freezing temperature is a major challenge for the troops deployed along the LoC in Kashmir. “The weather and freezing temperate is a major challenge for us. The temperatures plummet to minus 25 degree Celsius these days but we are well equipped to deal with it. We have been provided alpine clothing which saves us from intense cold”, he said.
In the meantime, the Multi Agency Centre (MAC) has put the infiltration figures of 2015 at 35. These 35 militants, mostly belonging to Laskhar-e-Toiba (LeT) managed to infiltrate into Kashmir valley this year, mainly through Kupwara sector of LoC during summers.
According to the MAC figures 65 militants infiltrated into Kashmir in 2014, 97 infiltrated in 2013, 121 in 2012, 52 in 2011, 82 in 2010, 99 infiltrated in 2009 and 27 infiltrated in 2008.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
