Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Jan 22: The Union Ministry for Home Affairs today held high level review of situation prevailing along the Line of Control (LoC) and International Border (IB) in the country with special reference to Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab in view of threats over fresh infiltration attempts to carry out Pathankot like terror attacks and have directed two border guarding forces to maintain high alert around its all establishments.
Top official sources told the Excelsior that the high level security review of the situation comes in the wake of reports that several groups of the militants have been camping across the LoC and IB with Pakistan to infiltrate and strike on the sensitive defence installations in the country between January 23 to 26, the Republic Day of the country when French President Francois Hollande will be in the country as chief guest of the celebrations.
Union Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi presided over the meeting that was attended by top brass of Army and BSF from their New Delhi Headquarters.
Sources said the situation prevailing along 3300 kilometers International Border and 740 kilometers LoC in India with Pakistan, mainly Jammu and Kashmir and Pakistan came up for high level review during the meeting in which the steps required to plug all gaps along border with Pakistan to prevent January 2 like Pathankot attack were discussed and finalized.
The top security officers and the Home Ministry team shared the Intelligence inputs, which spoke of high security threat after an intercept of the militants was decoded that said ‘Doctor Pahunch Gaya Hai Dawai Lekar (the doctor has reached with medicines)’. The agencies believed that the word doctor was being used for the militants and `Dawai’ (for weapons and explosives).
The intercept revealed the militants were planning terror strikes in the country between January 23 and 26.
The Home Ministry asked security agencies to maintain highest ever alert not only along the LoC and IB but also on sensitive installations of Army and all para-military forces and other security agencies, which could be target of the militants.
According to sources, the top security officials gave point wise presentation to the Ministry of Home Affairs, which, in turn, sought more requirements of the forces to effectively guard the borders especially the BSF, which was manning the International Border from where the militants were reported to have infiltrated twice during past six months (Bamiyal sector of Pathankot) and carried out strikes at Dina Nagar police station (July 27, 2015) and Indian Air Force (IAF) base in Pathankot (January 2, 2016).
The MHA has agreed to assess all requirements of the para-military forces deployed along the borders and agreed to take a fresh review of them after January 26.
The Union Home Ministry has already assured three battalions of the BSF for deployment along the International Border in Punjab and Jammu sectors. While two battalions (about 2000 personnel) will be deployed in Punjab, mainly in Pathankot sector, 1000 jawans would be deputed in Jammu sector comprising Jammu, Samba and Kathua districts.
Only yesterday, three Pakistani militants had tried to infiltrate into the Indian territory from Bamiyal sector of Pathankot to carry out terror strikes in Pathankot or Kathua but the alert BSF jawans had thwarted their game plan by killing one of them and forcing two others to retreat to Pakistan.
Sources said the Ministry of Home Affairs was anticipating similar infiltration attempts along LoC and IB in the coming days and has alerted security forces to be prepared to face and foil them.
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