More troops in Jammu and Kashmir as protests, infiltration jump

NEW DELHI: With a big jump in the number of terrorists trying to sneak into J&K from across the border, even as civilian street protests continue to rock the Valley, security forces have strengthened their presence both along the volatile Line of Control as well as in the hinterland. Army chief Gen Dalbir Singh Suhag, after meetings with home minister Rajnath Singh, will visit Srinagar and other areas on Friday to review the internal security situation there.

Security sources say the Centre is also keeping open the option of giving the Army "enhanced responsibilities and powers", which could include placing paramilitary forces under its direct operational control, if the situation further deteriorates in the Valley. The Army has already pumped in several addi tional companies into troubled south Kashmir from the Jammu region, while paramilitary forces have also been re-deployed to "thicken" their presence in civilian areas. "Additional troops have been deployed in areas like Qazigund in Anantnag, Tral in Pulwama, Shopian and Kulgam as part of a move to boost the three-tier counter-infiltration grid and counter-terrorism operations," said an official.

“Security forces have been directed to identify and target the ringleaders behind the violent protests and stone-pelting," said a source. Security agencies say while the estimated 300 militants in J&K are "generally lying low" at the moment, they may go in for “high-impact strikes" if the street protests show any sign of petering out in the coming days. "Their aim is to keep the situation on the boil, not allow state authority to be fully restored in the troubled districts. Over the last two years, militancy had been controlled to a large extent. This time, the Pakistan Army-ISI combine is trying to push in as many terrorists as possible across the LoC and also step up attempts to recruit locals for militancy,“ said the source.

If security forces killed 97 terrorists in the Valley in 2015, the tally has already crossed 105 this year. "Infiltration bids and terrorist-initiated incidents have risen. Over 70 militants have crossed the border this year till now," said the source.