Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar Nov 3: General Officer Commanding (GOC) of Srinagar based 15 Corps, Lt Gen S K Dua, today said that there was increased pressure on militants to infiltrate before the winter.
“There is increased pressure on them (the militants) to infiltrate before the winter. Sometimes they just cross the LoC, open fire and then go back,” Lt General Dua told reporters on the sidelines of a function in Srinagar.
The GOC said the infiltration from across the LoC was “next to nil” this year so far and the anti-infiltration grid was fully prepared to keep it that way.
Lt General Dua said the ceasefire violation at LoC in Gurez sector of North Kashmir Bandipora district yesterday, which left two soldiers dead, was part of an effort to push militants into Kashmir.
“It (ceasefire violation) seems to be an attempt to infiltrate more terrorists before the snowfall along the LoC,” the GOC said.
Asked about the ceasefire violation in Gurez as it was not a traditional infiltration route, Lt General Dua said: “They might have changed the tactics. The grid is coordinated and we are ready to take on the challenge.”
The GOC said that militants are making desperate attempts to infiltrate and robust counter-infiltration is foiling their attempts. “There has been no let up in the intent (to infiltrate) but the robust anti-infiltration grid has ensured that the attempts are foiled,” he said.
Lt Gen Dua said, intelligence inputs suggest that over 300 militants are at various launch pads across the LoC waiting for an opportunity to infiltrate.
On the killing of dreaded Lashkar-e-Toiba top commander, Abu Qasim last week, the GOC said it was a major success for the security forces and would definitely dent the operational capabilities of the outfit.
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