Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, June 11: Pursuing with its new found strategy of pushing militants during the day through the Line of Control (LoC) to escape Night Vision Devices (NVDs), Pakistan Army today again opened heavy firing, violating ceasefire agreement, on forward Indian positions in Nangi Tekri area of Krishna Ghati sector in Poonch district in an attempt to push a group of five to six militants into this side.
Indian troops retaliated to thwart the intrusion bid, official sources said, adding the militants tried to enter into this side taking cover of hostile weather conditions with thunderstorm and heavy rains lashing the area during the day.
According to sources, Pakistan Army initially opened firing for about 10 minutes last night at 8.10 pm in Nangi Tekri area.
“As it was a small arms firing, we didn’t retaliate but maintained a strict vigil all over the LoC especially in Krishna Ghati sector. No infiltration attempt seemed to have been made during the night as the NVDs didn’t show movement of the militants sneaking into this side,” sources said.
However, at about 1.10 pm today, Pakistan Army from their forward posts again started heavy firing targeting all posts in Nangi Tekri area of Krishna Ghati sector in Poonch district.
“Today’s firing was heavy and there were clear indications that Pakistan Army was trying to facilitate intrusion bid by the militants under the cover of heavy thunderstorm and rains in the area besides thick growth of vegetations,” sources said, adding that the Indian troops immediately realized the designs of Pakistan Army and retaliated firing to neutralize any attempt by the terrorists to intrude into this side.
Heavy exchange of firing continued till 2.20 pm. However, there were no casualties or damage on the Indian side. The firing completely stopped at 3 pm. For about an hour, heavy fire arms were used in the firing by both the sides.
Sources said the Pakistan Army made an attempt to push a group of at least five to six militants into this side under the cover of adverse weather conditions and thick growth of vegetation in the area.
“The infiltration attempts had been filed even though troops conducted massive search operations along the LoC to ensure that the infiltration attempt didn’t succeed,” sources said.
They added that Indian side didn’t lodged a protest over hotline or gave a call for the flag meeting as it preferred to retaliate Pakistani firing to foil their designs to push the intruders into this side.
According to sources, this was for the second time that Pakistan Army tried to push the militants into Indian side during the day time under the cover of vegetation growth on the LoC as all their attempt to facilitate infiltration attempts during the night had been foiled by the troops.
Sources said Pakistan Army as well as militants were taking the day route for infiltration on the LoC hoping that they would succeed in their new game plan. However, both the intruding bids made during the day-first on June 7 and second on June 11-have been foiled. The militants did try to infiltrate but couldn’t succeed, they added.
After the election of Nawaz Sharif as Prime Minister of Pakistan, this was second infiltration attempt on the LoC Poonch sector in the past four days.
Army and Intelligence agencies have reports that a large number of militants have become active on the LoC on Pakistan side awaiting opportunity to sneak-in. Troops have already been maintaining a very high alert on the LoC to ensure that the infiltration attempts were not successful.
A Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) Subedar Bachan Singh of Garhwal, Uttarakhand was killed in Pakistan firing at Sabjian, Mandi sub sector of Poonch district on June 7.
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