3 major infiltration attempts under cover of shelling foiled

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Jan 31: Three major infiltration attempts by the dreaded trained militants of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) have been foiled by the security forces during latest rounds of mortar shelling and heavy firing in Arnia and RS Pura sectors while the BSF was anticipating more such intrusion bids (by the militants) along the International Border (IB) in the next few days.
Official sources told the Excelsior that three groups of six to eight militants of the LeT outfit made desperate attempts to sneak into the Indian territory during recent shelling and firing by the Pakistani Rangers in Arnia and RS Pura sectors. The alert BSF personnel observed movement of the militants well in time on thermal imagers and successfully foiled the intrusion bid.
“During past 14 days, the militants have made eight infiltration attempts while since January 1, they have tried to intrude into the Indian territory 11 times. However, all infiltration attempts by the militants, which were made under the cover of Pakistan’s mortar shelling and firing, have been foiled,’’ sources said.
They added that barring latest infiltration bid from Jabowal forward area falling between Arnia and RS Pura sectors, which was made by biggest ever group of 10 militants, rest attempts were made by a group ranging between four to five militants. The infiltration attempts were made in forward areas of Hiranagar, Samba, Arnia and RS Pura sectors.
“Only this January alone, the first month of Year 2015, the Rangers have violated ceasefire 21 times on the IB in four sectors of Jammu including Hiranagar, Samba, Arnia and RS Pura,’’ sources said. In first week of this month, two BSF jawans and a woman were killed and 10 other civilians were injured while the other day three civilians including a woman were injured in Pakistan shelling on the International Border besides over 40 houses, shops and marriage halls were damaged in Arnia sector.
According to sources, the recent unprovoked mortar shelling by Pakistan deep inside Arnia town and other civilian habitations was aimed at diverting attention of security forces and police from the border and push infiltrators inside the Indian territory. However, this plot of the militants has also failed, they said, adding that security forces while keeping vigil on Pakistan’s shelling maintained strict surveillance on the IB and ensured that the militants didn’t manage to sneak in.
Sources said most of the militants trying to sneak into this side belonged to Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) outfit and they have been moving from one forward area to another waiting for an opportunity to infiltrate into this side under the covering fire of the Rangers but haven’t succeeded.
They added that going by the Intelligence inputs, the infiltration attempts could increase in the coming days as militants were getting desperate to sneak into this side with the help of Pakistani Rangers. The BSF was maintaining high alert on the IB.
Meanwhile, there was no shelling or firing from Pakistan side in any sector of the International Border last night.

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