Jammu: After initial ”zero infiltration” in the wake of renewed ceasefire agreement between India and Pakistan in February, fresh attempts are on to push terrorists from across the border where 250 to 300 terrorists are trained and waiting on the launch pads, Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police Dilbag Singh said on Tuesday.
He also said that 57 cases have come to their notice where the local youth who had gone to Pakistan on valid documents for studies or tourist visas ended up becoming terrorists.
“The training camps and launch pads being run by Pakistan”s ISI and other agencies are full to their capacity. We generally assume the number of terrorists at such camps remains between 250 and 300 who are trained and ready for launching into Jammu and Kashmir,” Singh told reporters in the border district of Rajouri.
He said in the wake of February 20 ceasefire agreement reached between India and Pakistan, a period came when the infiltration from across the border dropped to zero and the cross-border shelling and firing also stopped completely which was welcomed at all levels, including by the border residents.
“Unfortunately, the infiltration (of terrorists) from different launch pads has started once again over the past some time. We had three encounters in Rajouri-Poonch, including Dadal in Nowshera, Sunderbani and the recent Pangai (Thanamandi) and one in Bandipora. All these were fresh groups of infiltrators and we have information that the activity across the border is still on and there is a possibility of more such attempts (in future),” the police chief said.
However, he said the security forces are fully alert to the threat and as “impure actions (of Pakistan) is continuing, our border grid is working satisfactorily” which led to the foiling of four infiltration attempts since July.
The DGP said four terrorists who had infiltrated from Machil-Gurez sector of north Kashmir were eliminated in Bandipora on July 23-24.
“They were launched from the Kail sector of Pakistan and as per our information, there were 14 more people when they were launched into this side,” Singh said.
He said three to four groups crossed from Pakistan into Rajouri-Poonch sector and a joint search operation is on to track down the terrorists who managed to flee the three encounters in July and August.
