SRINAGAR: On a day armies of India and Pakistan exchanged sweets across the troubled Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch to celebrate the New Year, the neighbour tried to push in an armed terrorist in the Keran sector in J&K. The intruder was quickly neutralised.
General Officer Commanding of 28th Division Major General Abhijit Pendharkar told reporters on Sunday that in complete breach of the ceasefire understanding, an intruder was detected moving from an area under the control of the Pakistani Army across the LoC around 3 pm on Saturday.
An ambush was sprung at the opportune moment and the terrorist eliminated, foiling the infiltration bid or BAT action (Pakistan Army’s Border Action Team), he added.
The slain intruder was identified as Mohd Shabbir Malik, a Pakistani national.
An AK-47 rifle and a large quantity of ammunition, including seven grenades, were recovered from his possession.
The route the intruder took was similar to the one adopted on April 4, 2020 during Operation Rangadori Bhaikh, in which five terrorists were killed. Five Indian soldiers were also killed in that gunfight, the officer recalled.
A Pakistani identity card and vaccination certificates were recovered from the possession of Malik.
“A photo of the infiltrator in an Army uniform with the name tab of Shabbir was also recovered.”
It establishes the fact that Pakistan continues to sponsor cross-border militancy, the officer said, adding a hotline contact has been made with the Pakistan Army asking them to take back the body. Maj Gen Pendharkar said there are intel inputs about more infiltration bids.
Launch pads in Pakistan loaded with militants
The number of infiltration attempts in 2021 were less than 2020, but launch pads across the LoC continue to be full of militants, General Officer Commanding 15 Corps Lt Gen D P Pandey had recently said