Pak villagers' bid to graze cattle, lift sand off riverbank thwarted

After a series of attempts by the villagers of Pakistan to approach the Line of Control to graze cattle and lift sand off a riverbank, the Indian Army has taken measures to thwart such moves in the future. Soldiers have been deployed in forward areas and the matter has been officially taken up with the Pakistani Army as well.

Sources said that the incidents took place over the past few weeks near the border in Poonch and countermeasures were initiated after residents were spotted approaching a riverbed defining the border.

It is learnt that following the intervention and talks with the Pakistani Army, villagers have been warned not to enter the area. Sources said that announcements have been made at mosques in villages across the border warning against such attempts. The situation is currently described as stable, with Indian troops keeping a watchful eye at trouble spots.

The entire LoC has been fenced to prevent infiltration and smuggling of weapons and drugs. The fence is, however, well inside the Indian border and at some places even a few kilometres within, as construction had to be carried out keeping in mind the safety of the working crew and technical difficulties given the lay of land.

Several Army as well as Border Security Force posts exist well beyond the fence to keep a close watch on the well-defined border. Soldiers at such posts are eternally vigilant against intruders as well as raiding attempts by the Border Action Teams - a mix of terrorists and regular Pakistani Army soldiers tasked to inflict maximum casualty on the Indian side.

During the winter season, the border stretching from Poonch to Kathua is especially prone to infiltration attempts by terrorists and smugglers as other places remain snowbound.