Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Sept 10: At least 37 new launching pads have been activated by two militant outfits—Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) and Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) along the Line of Control (LoC) across twin border districts of Rajouri and Poonch and were making all out efforts to push trained militants inside the Indian territory well before start of the winter, which generally sets off by the end of October in hilly areas.
Official sources told the Excelsior that the new launching pads have come over the past few days across the LoC in Poonch and Rajouri districts, where movement of the militants was also clearly visible, which indicated that they would try to infiltrate into the Indian side in the coming few days.
However, well aware of the new strategy put in place by the LeT and HM outfits to push their militants into the Indian side, troops have strengthened Anti-Infiltration Grid in Rajouri and Poonch and parts of Akhnoor in Jammu, the only three districts of Jammu region, which share LoC with Pakistan.
Entire LoC is manned by the Army.
According to sources, the new launching pads that have come up along the LoC in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) were located close to the infiltration routes, which the militants had been earlier using but all these routes were plugged by the troops and being guarded well to thwart any kind of attempt by the militants to infiltrate into this side.
“The newly come up launching pads on the LoC were regularly being visited by the militants and the commanders of the two outfits—LeT and HM apart from some Pakistan army officials posted in forward posts at PoK,’’ sources said, adding that the Pakistan’s strategy has been very clear to push the militants into this side by attempting maximum infiltration attempts.
However, they added, the troops on Indian side were already maintaining high alert and were well aware of the enemy plan to push trained militants, equipped with arms, ammunition and explosives into the Indian side.
“We have been maintaining high alert on the LoC. The Anti-Infiltration Grid has been further strengthened to ensure that the militants didn’t manage to intrude into this side. All infiltration routes have been plugged and were being guarded very well,’’ sources said, adding whenever the militants try to infiltrate, they would be either killed or forced to retreat.
According to sources, though number of the militants camping at these launching pads was “anybody’s guess’’, it could well be between 50 to 70. All of them seem to be Pakistanis and well trained cadre of the militant outfits of LeT and HM, they said and added that Pakistani militant outfits were now facing dearth of Kashmiri militants and majority of those being trained for infiltration were Pakistanis.
It may be mentioned here that during past more than a year now, Army has not allowed any infiltration attempt to succeed on the LoC. “All such attempts made by the militants from across the LoC were successfully thwarted,’’ sources said.
With Anti-Infiltration Grid further strengthened, they were of the view that fresh attempts made by the militants to infiltrate into this side will also be thwarted.
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