STATE TIMES NEWS
Srinagar: The Army on Friday killed six militants near the Line of Control (LoC) as it foiled fifth infiltration bid from Pakistan into Kashmir in three days, raising to 12 the total number of infiltrators gunned down during this period.
The six militants were killed in Uri sector during a counter-infiltration operation launched on Thursday after the troops detected movement of ultras trying to sneak into the valley, an Army official said.
With this operation, the total number of infiltrating militants killed over the last three days in various sectors has gone up to 12.
A defence spokesman had said that multiple attempts made by Pakistan Army to push armed infiltrators across the LoC were foiled by the troops at Machhil and Naugam sectors in Kupwara district, Gurez in Bandipora district and Uri in Baramulla, resulting in the killing of seven militants.
All the four infiltration bids were aided by the Pakistani forces who provided active support, including cover fire using heavy calibre artillery, the Army’s Northern Command had said in a statement yesterday.
According to the Army, it has successfully foiled seven infiltration attempts in less than a fortnight in north Kashmir. Three of the attempts were scuttled in Uri sector alone. On May 26, Army killed two Pakistani Border Action Team (BAT) members who tried to infiltrate into Uri sector in Baramulla district to carry out an attack on the soldiers.
Six more militants were killed in the same sector next day when they attempted to sneak into the valley from across the border.
In the current year, Army foiled 23 infiltration attempts killing 39 armed intruders along the LoC.
Borders safe: Rajnath
Jaipur: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said on Friday that the country’s borders were “more secure” than before and would be further fortified to stop illegal infiltration. “India’s borders are more safe and secure as compared to the past and the government has decided to make the borders highly protected in the years to come so that no citizen of a foreign country can enter into India without the permission of the government of India,” Singh said. He was speaking at the inauguration of a ‘MODI-fest’ here to mark the third anniversary of the Narendra Modi government. He said the surgical strike carried out by Indian forces on terrorist launchpads across the Line of Control last year had given a strong message that, if needed, India could hit targets beyond its boundary. “Terrorists from Pakistan infiltrated into India and attacked our jawans and took their lives. The prime minister called a meeting after which the Army successfully conducted the surgical strike,” he said. Singh said he had directed the director general of the Border Security Force (BSF) not to fire the first bullet at Pakistan, but if Pakistan opened fire at India the forces should retaliate effectively.
In the programme organised at Muhana mandi and attended by scores of farmers, the home minister said the government had taken several decisions for the development of the country and aims to establish a “new India” for which the cooperation of people, youths in particular, was needed.
“The government cannot give jobs to all youths but can develop their skill so that they can start their own work. For this, the government has opened skill development centres and providing them loans at low interest rates,” he said.
He said that the government plans to provide LPG connections to five crore families by 2019.
“Over two crore connections have been given and the rest will be given by 2019,” he said.
Singh also said that corruption was rampant under the erstwhile UPA government, but there has not been a single allegation of corruption after the Narendra Modi-led NDA dispensation assumed office in 2014.
