Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, Nov 4:General Officer Commanding (GOC) Srinagar based Chinar Corps, Lt General Om Prakash, today said that despite Army’s efforts around 40 militants have managed to infiltrate into Kashmir valley this summer.
While interacting with the media on the sidelines of a friendly cricket match at 15-Corps headquarters of Army at Badami Bagh cantonment, the GOC said that Army foiled majority of the infiltration attempts from across the Line of Control (LoC) this year and is ready to foil such future attempts.
“It is a difficult terrain and infiltration can take place and is taking place”, said the General. He said that Army is conducting operations against the infiltrated militants and assured that they will be eliminated in the hinterland.
Lt General Om Prakash disclosed that militants are running out of money and weapons in Kashmir valley. He said that more and more militants are desperate to infiltrate into Kashmir valley before the snowfall and Army is alert along the LoC to defeat their designs.
The Army commander said that peaceful atmosphere in Kashmir is due to the cooperation given by the people to the security forces and the Government. He said that in next couple of years the situation in Kashmir will be absolutely normal.
The General said that since Army has tightened its vigil along the LoC and that is why Pakistani troops are firing in desperation in areas like Churanda village in Uri’s Hajipeer sector where 3 civilians were killed in Pakistani mortar shelling last month.
The GOC said that Army had lodged protests with their Pakistani counterparts on ceasefire violations and killing of the civilians but their response as always was “we don’t do it.” He said that last week two militants managed to infiltrate through Hajipeer sector but during the operation they fled back in injured condition and died across the LoC.
On the recent threat to the Panchayat members by the supremo of Hizbul Mujahideen Syed Salahudin, the General said that militants had issued threats before as well to destabilize the democratic institution of Panchayats. He said that Army, police and State Government will not let it to happen. “It is our joint responsibility to provide them security and not to allow them to destabilize the Panchayat institution”, he added.
The General said that security of the Panchayat members was discussed in the Unified Headquarter meeting last month and it was felt that individual security is not possible for every Panchayat member. He said that it was decided that Army and police will senitize the areas where the Panchayat members were targeted by the militants so as to give them sense of security. He, however, said that if there is any specific threat to any Panchayat member, the level of the threat will be investigated and security will be provided to him/her”, he added.
On militants who targeted the Silver Star hotel on Srinagar Bypass last month killing two of its employees, the General said that police and Army are tracking them. “Police have some inputs and we will soon eliminate them”, he added.
Follow our WhatsApp channel