Centre mulls two-tier defence along Line of Control in Jammu & Kashmir

JAMMU: The Centre is planning to create a second rung of defence along the 202 kilometres long International Border (IB) in the region as many terrorists have managed to successfully infiltrate through Samba and create havoc in neighbouring areas.

After recent terror attacks in March on a police station and an army camp, located in Samba, a high-level team of the Union home ministry and state officials toured the entire IB, stretching from Samba to Akhnoor, official sources said. Beyond Akhnoor, the Line of Control starts upto Kupwara in Kashmir region.

The teams observed that Border Security Force (BSF) was stationed at the border but without a proper back up from either police or army as the second line of defence.

Army's Yol-based IX Corps has some camps located in the area but they are mainly used for training purposes and hence are not geared up for countering the terror strikes.

The national highway and railway track connecting the state to the rest of the country also passes through Samba and hence it was decided to create a second line of defence along the entire stretch of international border, the sources said.

The second tier of defence will have personnel drawn from paramilitary forces as well as from the state police and it will provide back up for the BSF which has not been able to plug gaps along the IB,international border especially the Samba area, the sources said.

The second tier would be manning the gaps of Chap and Tarnah nallahs which have been frequently used by terrorists to come to the national highway. PTIfrom where they used to hijack or take lift from passing vehicles to reach Samba town.

They will also barricade the roads to monitor entry and exit of vehicles, the sources said.

There have been five successful attempts by terrorists especially from banned Lashker-e-Taiba militants who entered into the Jammu region from this area and create havoc on civilians, army as well as police stations.

Nearly a dozen police personnel and civilians, besides a Lt Colonel of Army have been killed in these attacks. The latest terror strike was on March 20 in which five persons including two policemen were killed.

This area has also witnessed exchange of fire between BSF and Pakistani Rangers in which villagers from both sides had to suffer.