LOC News: Kashmiri guides have crossed LoC to help foreign militants infiltrate, says BSF IG

LOC News: Kashmiri guides have crossed LoC to help foreign militants infiltrate, says BSF IG


Some guides from Kashmir have crossed over the Line of Control (LoC) to help foreign militants infiltrate into India but their movements are being tracked and their families here are under surveillance, BSF inspector general in Kashmir Raja Babu Singh has said.

As per the intelligence inputs, 104-135 militants are waiting at “launchpads” in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) to cross over, but an active surveillance along the LoC has foiled several such attempts in recent times, Singh told reporters at Border Security Force headquarters on the outskirts of Srinagar on Monday. “Reports are that some guides have crossed LoC and gone to the other side. We are tracking their movement and monitoring them, and their families here are under surveillance as well,” he said.

According to the BSF IG, around 58 infiltration attempts were made along the LoC in 2021, in which five infiltrators were killed, 21 returned, and one surrendered. At least 31 infiltrators managed to cross over, which is much lower than previous years, he said.

LOC News: Kashmiri guides have crossed LoC to help foreign militants infiltrate, says BSF IGAgencies

He, however, said that since the reiteration of the ceasefire along the LoC by the armies of India and Pakistan in February 2021, there has been “a general peace along the LoC”. Singh said BSF is exclusively deployed along 96 km of the LoC, while it is jointly deployed with the Army along 196 km. “Intense surveillance and regular area domination will make infiltration difficult. We are aiming at zero infiltration and with the synergy of different forces it is possible,” he said.

He also said drones were noticed along the LoC last year but they didn’t venture into our territory. “We are procuring anti-drone technology and getting more drones for us as well,” Singh said. Around 138 to 145 youths were “indoctrinated” to join different militant outfits last year, but the shelf life of a militant had reduced to anywhere between six to eight weeks, he said.

“You are witnessing successful operations in the hinterland by the police, Army and CRPF.” BSF has also recovered around 17.3 kg of heroin worth Rs 80 crore in 2021 and officials said there is a zero tolerance policy for narcotic smuggling.

BSF has organised several trips across India for the youth in Kashmir as part of its public outreach pro grammes. “Public outreach programmes in border areas are very important to bring the population into the (national) mainstream and ensure their wellbeing as well,” Singh said.

Meanwhile, BSF troops in Jammu have been put on high alert ahead of the Republic Day celebrations. BSF is carrying out an extensive anti-tunnelling drive, special patrolling, and depth area domination, despite hostile weather conditions along the border to scuttle any nefarious attempts.



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