* Security beefed up after intercepts
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 14: Security agencies have been put on high alert at Mughal Road, the fair weather link between Poonch and Srinagar, following specific inputs by the Intelligence and other agencies that the militants were planning to use it for infiltration from Kashmir valley to twin border districts of Poonch and Rajouri.
Official sources said the zone between Passana (ahead of Bafliaz, Surankote) to Peer Ki Gali dividing Poonch and Shopian districts has been described as a very “sensitive zone’’ by the Intelligence agencies as it passed through dense forests, which could be utilized by the militants for taking shelter.
“As the militants were running short of men and material in Poonch and Rajouri districts in the absence of infiltration from across the Line of Control (LoC), their commanders have been sending desperate messages to Kashmir based militants to depute some of the cadre to the border districts using Mughal Road’’, they said, adding one of the message intercepted by the security agencies has confirmed that the militants could use Mughal Road to reach Surankote from Shopian and then head towards various hideouts.
Last year, four youth had reached Poonch from Shopian through Mughal Road with a view to cross over to Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) from the LoC for arms training on being motivated by the Over Ground Workers (OGWs) of the militants. However, they had been captured well in time by the police and after questioning handed over to their family members with a warning.
Sources said the inputs had been pouring in that the militants were planning to take advantage of heavy rush of visitors at Mughal Road to mix up with civilians and reach Surankote from Shopian on way to Poonch and Rajouri districts.
Security forces and police were maintaining alert on Mughal Road to ensure that it was not exploited by the militants for infiltration into Poonch and Rajouri districts from the Kashmir valley.
Special police pickets have been established at Mughal Road especially at the start of jurisdiction of Poonch district to check any suspicious movement by the militants and OGWs and foil movement of militants to Poonch and Rajouri districts from the Kashmir valley, sources said.
They added that very few militants were left in Poonch and Rajouri districts in the absence of any fresh infiltration from PoK due to strict surveillance maintained by Army on the LoC. Recently, a senior Army officer had stated that 50 dreaded militants were waiting across the LoC in Poonch and Rajouri districts to infiltrate into this side but were finding it difficult to enter in view of fencing and tight security measures taken by the troops besides installation of sophisticated gadgetry.
“In the absence of infiltration, the militants were now sending feels to the commanders in the Kashmir valley to depute some of their cadre to Poonch and Rajouri districts using Mughal Road’’, sources said.
During the time of infiltration, the area had been traditional route of the militants to reach Kashmir valley from Poonch and Rajouri through Pir Panjal mountains. The militants had also been using Pir Panjal mountains to reach Mahore, Banihal, Gool and other places after sneaking through LoC in Poonch and Rajouri districts from PoK.
However, after fencing and other measures taken by the Army, the infiltration has become negligible. Besides, a number of militants including commanders were killed in Poonch and Rajouri reducing their strength drastically.
Follow our WhatsApp channel