NEW DELHI: Amidst the highly-charged atmosphere following the Uri attack that killed 18 soldiers, the Narendra Modi government is working on a plan to give a befitting reply to Pakistan.
“We all know the national mood. And this government respects national sentiments,” said a top government functionary. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has already given ‘free hand’ to security forces dealing with Pakistan at the Line of Control, followed by Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar making it clear that perpetrators of Uri attack will not go ‘unpunished’.
Major General Anil Chauhan, Commander of the Baramula-based 19 Infantry Division, which controls the 12 Brigade of Uri, has been busy in controlling high emotions of soldiers after the killing of 18 of their men.
An official explained that the troop movement is not up to the level of Operation Parakram, which the Indian forces did after the Parliament attack in 2001, but repositioning of troops is required keeping the high-voltage charged atmosphere.
“We need to be more alert, as they (Pakistan) are monitoring each and every troop movement closely. Mobilisation of troops need to be done quietly. At the moment, efforts are being made to plug the gaps on
the LoC,” a defence source explained. An Army official maintained that repositioning of troops are also being done, keeping the upcoming winter season in mind to strengthen the anti-infiltration grid.
Besides the movement on the border, the Army has also planned targeted killing in the hinterland, as they suspect still nearly 140 terrorists are hiding in the Valley and of them, 70 are believed to be foreign militants, who managed to infiltrate.
But the Army is facing a difficulty in getting intelligence inputs from the state police, as local cops are scared of any retaliatory action by militants on their family.