Only 30 militants sneaked into Valley against 126 last year: Gen Raju

Srinagar: Corps Commander of the Army’s Srinagar-based Chinar Corps Lt Gen BS Raju on Saturday said that Pakistan continues to push militants into the Valley but the army is vigilant to prevent such moves.
He said that this year saw a huge decline in infiltration of militants as only 30 as against 126 infiltrators last year entered the Valley from across the Line of Control (LoC).
According to him, 250-300 militants are ready to infiltrate at launching pads established on the other side of LoC.
“Pakistan is continuously helping militants to infiltrate into Kashmir with an aim to destabilize peaceful atmosphere in the region”, he told reporters on the sidelines of the passing-cum attestation parade at JAKLI centre at Rangreth in Srinagar outskirts.
Replying to a query, he said that Court of Inquiry (CoI) into Amshipora Shopian fake encounter has been completed and the process to the next level will reach soon.
Gen Raju said the Army needs people’s support to frustrate the designs of Pakistan which is continuously pushing militants into Kashmir.
The army commander said that they foiled a weapon smuggling bid into Kashmir across the KishanGanga River and recovered four AK rifles on Saturday morning. He said the army is containing the situation and has recovered a cache of arms as an effective surveillance mechanism has been put in place.
He added that anti-militancy operations are across the Valley during which militants are being killed continuously both in the hinterland and on the LoC.
“This morning, the Army killed two militants including a foreigner in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district and added it has been seen wherever foreign militants got killed the area witnessed peace afterwards,” he said.
The GoC said that after six months the local recruitment into militant ranks went up again last month. “During last six months there was a decline in local recruitment but it went up again last month”, he said.
To a query about surrender policy, Gen Raju said that several youth who had joined militant ranks are giving up now as such things are being kept hidden for several reasons. “Local boys who were swayed and took up arms have started to come back. They are being given every change to surrender and such things are being kept into secret”, he said.
When asked about the comparison of south with north Kashmir, the GOC said that there is no doubt that recruitment in south Kashmir is little higher than in north Kashmir but the situation is comprehensively under control.
To a question about Panchayat elections, the top army commander said they are hopeful that people from all areas will come forward for the development of their respective areas.
When asked whether there is any indication of assistance by China into infiltration bids at LoC, Gen Raju maintained that so far there is no such evidence of direct strategic or logistic support from China but as far as CPEC is concerned, the reports cannot be ruled out.
He also added that economic activity has also been started in Kashmir and apple and paddy cultivation has also started. KNS

Reader correspondent