Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 1: Making mockery of the alert maintained by para-military forces manning Indo-Nepal border, a group of 19 persons from Pakistan reached Kandi Koteranka in the border district of Rajouri this morning but police arrested them before they could reach their houses.
In another act on the Line of Control (LoC), troops thwart third infiltration attempt by the militants in past five days in Langiot forward area in Mendhar sector of Poonch district, forcing group of four to five militants, who tried to sneak in under covering fire of Pakistani troops, to retreat. Pakistan Army violated ceasefire to facilitate the infiltration attempt.
SSP Rajouri Mubassir Latifi told the Excelsior that police party of Kandi in Koteranka police station intercepted three TATA Sumo vehicles in which the illegal intruders from Pakistan were heading towards their homes after crossing the border from Bihar, then reaching Jammu by train and Rajouri on Sumo vehicles.
He said all of them were taken into custody, booked under relevant sections of law and were being quizzed to know the reasons behind their infiltration. All of them would be sent to the Joint Interrogation Centre (JIC) shortly for questioning, he added.
Return of the civilians from Pakistan is being seen as a major setback to the Union Government, which had directed Seema Shastra Bal (SSB) to ensure that no illegal intrusion takes place on Nepal route. The direction had followed large scale influx of militants and former militants to Kashmir from Nepal route in Uttar Pradesh.
However, the persons shifted the route this time from Uttar Pradesh to Bihar and crossed into India from Muzaffarpur. They boarded Sealdah Express and reached Jammu from where they took Sumo for their houses at Kandi, Koteranka but were captured near Koteranka police station by a police team headed by SHO Kotranka Haji Bashir.
Latifi said the accused have been booked under FIR No. 45 at Koteranka police station under Sections 14-A of Foreigners Act, Section 6 of Passport Act and 2/3 Egress and Internal Movement Control Ordinance.
He added that all the illegal infiltrators were being questioned to ascertain their links and would be sent to JIC for sustained interrogation.
Eleven members belonged to one family and seven to another.
Eleven members of one family have been identified as Abdul Rashid, 49, son of Ali Mohammad, a resident of village Jaglanu, Koteranka, his 47 years old wife Bab Johan and nine children—Mohammad Shafiq, 26, Mohammad Shakil, 22, Mohammad Qadir, 19, Banish Rashid, 24, Mavish Rashid, 17, Sarish Rashid, 13, Isha Rashid, 11, Nisha Rashid, 9 and Mohammad Vikas, 15.
The children had studies or were studying in Kotli district of PoK from 7th to 12th class.
Rashid had crossed over to PoK in 1987 via Kanga Gali under the jurisdiction of Manjakote police station along with his wife Bob Johan along with three children. Rest six children were born to Bob Johan in PoK.
Second family of five members comprised Faqir Mohammad, 31, son of Ali Mohammad, a resident of Jaglanu Koteranka, his wife Shazia Kousar, 30, wife of Faqir Mohammad, a resident of Mirpur, PoK and their three children—Farian Ali, 6, Manikha Ali, 5 and Eraj, 3.
Faqir Mohammad is real younger brother of Abdil Rashid and had gone to Pakistan on passport via Wagah border in Amritsar district of Pakistan.
Police said the infiltrators had passport and visa of Pakistan for Nepal. They set off from PoK on June 26, reach Karachi on June 27, boarded a Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight the same day and reached Kathmandu. They left Kathmandu on June 28 and entered India from Muzaffarpur in Bihar. From Muzaffarpur, they boarded Sealdah Express on June 29 and reached Jammu on June 30.
They took three TATA Sumo vehicles from Jammu this morning and were on way to Koteranka to their houses when they were arrested.
Meanwhile, Pakistan Army violated ceasefire in a bid to give cover to infiltrating militants at Langiot forward area in Mendhar tehsil of Poonch district at 11.45 pm last night.
Pakistan Army opened firing with small and automatic weapons. Indian side retaliated.
Sources said the militants tried to infiltrate into the Indian side under the covering fire but retreated after Indian troops retaliated effectively. Army neutralized the infiltration attempt.
The militants, who tried to sneak into the Indian side under covering fire of Pakistan Army, retreated to PoK after finding the troops on high alert.
This was third infiltration attempt foiled by the Army on the LoC during past five days. Previous two intrusion bids by the Pakistani militants were thwarted in Tarkundi area of Balakote sector.
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