Counter Infiltration Joint Team set up to check intrusion bids

Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, June 22: In a significant decision aimed at thwarting infiltration attempts from across the Line of Control (LoC) in the State, the multiple agencies have set up ‘Counter Infiltration Joint Team’ (CIJT) for affective coordination among them and ensure that the intrusion bids were not successful.
Official sources told the Excelsior that ‘CIJT’ would comprise Army, Border Security Force (BSF) Jammu and Kashmir Police (JKP), Intelligence Bureau (IB), Special Branch (SB) and some other para-military and Intelligence agencies. It would operate all along the LoC and International Border (IB) for keeping a check on infiltration of militants from across the LoC and IB.
Constitution of the CIJT, according to sources, was necessitated as the past few months have witnessed a spurt in the infiltration attempts in both Jammu and Kashmir regions and reports that 300 to 400 militants were camping across the LoC on Pakistan side awaiting an opportunity to sneak into the Indian territory.
The ‘CIJT’ would share Intelligence related information, specific inputs, reported movement of the militants and maintain liaison with the people living in forward areas on movement of the militants across the LoC and the infiltration attempts by them. This would help Army and BSF to take on any possible intrusion bid from across the LoC, sources said, adding that already the security agencies have made multi-layered deployment to counter infiltration.
“Already this year, a number of infiltration attempts have been made from Pakistan on the LoC. Though most of the intrusion bids have been foiled in twin border districts of Rajouri and Poonch, some of the attempts were reported to be successful in the Kashmir Valley,” sources said.
Sources said the ‘CIJT’ would be made operational even at the LoC level and the multiple agencies involved in it would be in close touch with each other to share the inputs they have about the militants’ plot on the infiltration attempts.
“If we succeed in keeping the infiltration at bare minimum, as was the case last year, number of the militants would automatically come down in the State,” sources said but admitted that the militants and Pakistan Army would make all possible attempts for successful infiltration.
Troops said they have already taken all preventive measures to keep under check the new strategy of Pakistan Army to push the militants during the day time after having failed in their tactics of infiltrating the militants during the night.
“After four consecutive intrusion bids were made during the day at Krishna Ghati, Sabjian and Poonch sectors during the past few days, Army have taken all measures to thwart day-light attempts by Pakistan Army to push the militants into this side under the cover of thick growth of vegetation on the LoC and adverse weather conditions during the Monsoon,” sources said, adding the militants wouldn’t be able to sneak-in during the day time.