NEW DELHI, Jun 27 (Agencies): Operations launched by security forces based on specific intelligence inputs provided by agencies have helped in killing of as many as 11 foreign terrorists along with the recovery of huge quantities of narcotics, weapons and ammunition in the Kupwara sector of Jammu and Kashmir in the last 15 days.
“The heightened surveillance based on specific intelligence provided by the agencies has helped security forces to foil three major infiltration bids in the Kupwara sector of J-K which led to the killing of 11 foreign terrorists and recovery of huge quantities of narcotics, weapons and ammunition,” security forces’ officials said.
“The Indian Army along with the intelligence agencies began heightened surveillance along specific areas in Kupwara after new faces started getting active in the areas opposite Indian positions on the Line of Control, security forces.”
“After the inputs about the presence of newcomers or new faces in these areas, their activities were closely monitored and when they tried to infiltrate into their own territory, they were eliminated by the alert troops already in position to tackle such enemy action”, they said.
The first incident happened in the Machchil sector where two foreign terrorists were eliminated by their own troops leading to the recovery of two AK-series rifles along with grenades and ammunition with Pakistani markings in them.
The second major encounter across the LoC happened in the Keran Sector where five terrorists were killed and recoveries included five rifles along with sniper rifle ammunition with Pakistani markings.
“We have been able to recover a lot of surveillance equipment including night vision goggles and night-enabled binoculars which could have helped terrorists to move through the area with ease” they said.
Sources said the latest infiltration bid, which was specifically to attack the Amarnath Yatra preparations in the Kashmir valley, was foiled on June 23 in the Machchil Sector.
The recoveries include 12 weapons which were found with four foreign terrorists who have been killed in the encounter.
Sources said the recovery of 55 kgs of A1 grade narcotics which could have been sold in metros for at least five crores per kg is pointing towards Pakistan Army and ISI’s attempts to find terrorism through narcotics smuggling.
Security agencies are continuing to probe through the recovered items and documents from the terrorists to find out the linkages between terrorists and their links in India to know the destination of the drugs they were trying to being inside India.
The 12 weapons recovered also point out that the additional weapons were meant for being given to other terrorists who could have been either already inside the Kashmir Valley or may try to do so in the near future.
The Army and the security forces have made additional deployments in the suspected areas to counter any attack by terrorists in the Amarnath Yatra as Pakistan Army is desperate to deflect attention from their internal politics.
Army has also heightened vigil along the LoC using new high-tech surveillance equipment which can help in easily analysing any unusual movements or activities on the other side.