STATE TIMES NEWS
Rajouri/Jammu: Army on Wednesday said a “sinister attempt” by Pakistan to disturb peace in Jammu region was scuttled with successful elimination within 48 hours of two infiltration attempts by terrorists along the Line of Control (LoC) in Naushera sector of Rajouri district.
The back-to-back infiltration bids on August 21 and 22 in Jhangar and Lam areas, resulted in the killing of two terrorists and arrest of a notorious terrorist guide who was assigned the task by a senior officer of Pakistan’s intelligence agency to lead a group into this side to carryout an attack on an army post, Army’s 80 Infantry Brigade Commander, Brigadier Kapil Rana said.
It is the direct pointer towards our adversary across our western borders and sinister attempt to disrupt peace in Rajouri and Jammu region, he said.
Army cautions against sale of outfits resembling combat uniforms to public in J&K
Jammu: In the interest of national security, the army on Wednesday cautioned against unauthorised sale of outfits resembling its combat uniforms to the public, an official said.
The Northern Army Command, along with the police, have already carried out a chain of awareness campaigns in Udhampur city in order to dissuade sellers from trading unauthorised uniforms, he said.
The measure has been initiated as easy access to the Indian Army uniforms in open markets causes a potential threat to the security of military establishments and their personnel, public relations officer for the Northern Command said.
“Now, the Indian Army has chalked out plans to take tough action against the dealers who are selling unauthorised but almost similar looking pattern and fabric uniforms,” he added.
According to the officer, the army has applied to the office of the Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks, and it is expecting to own the Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) soon.
Once the IPR process is completed, the army will be able to take legal action and subsequently prosecute unauthorised shopkeepers selling combat fabric material.
With the unveiling of a new combat outfit in January, the Indian Army had established ownership on the pattern and design, he said.
Shopkeepers have shown a positive response and agreed to cooperate with the army, he added.
However, he said the security forces deployed on the LoC are fully alert to defeat any nefarious designs of the adversary and maintain peace and tranquillity in Jammu region.
Briefing the media about the two successful operations in Naushera sector of Rajouri, the officer said the first attempt was made on August 21 when alert soldiers deployed in Jhangar spotted movement of two to three terrorists from across the LoC in the early hours.
One terrorist came close to the Indian post and tried to cut the fence, when he was challenged by alert sentries. The terrorist trying to flee, however, was brought down by effective fire, incapacitating him, he said.
He said two terrorists who were hiding behind, fled the area by taking cover of dense forest and broken ground. The injured Pakistani terrorist was captured alive and provided with immediate medical aid and lifesaving surgery was came out.
Brigadier Rana said the captured terrorist revealed his identity as Tabarak Hussain, a resident of Sabzkot village of Koti in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir.
On further interrogation, the terrorist confessed about their plan to attack the Indian Army Post. Hussain revealed that he was sent by a Colonel of Pakistan intelligence agency named Col Yunus Chaudhry who had paid him Rs 30,000 (Pakistani currency).
Hussain also revealed that he along with other terrorists had carried two to three close recces of Indian forward posts with an aim to target them at an opportune time. The go ahead to target the Indian post was given by Col Chaudhry on August 21, the Brigadier said.
Incidentally, he said the individual was earlier captured by the Army from the same sector in 2016 along with his brother Haroon Ali, and was repatriated on humanitarian grounds in November, 2017.
In the second operation, on the right of August 22 and 23, the officer said a group of two to three terrorists tried to infiltrate in Lam area.
Our alert troops were able to observe the terrorists as they crossed the LoC and continuously monitored their movement. As they moved ahead into our mine fields a series of mines got activated and two terrorists got eliminated on the spot, he said.
He said the other terrorist is possibly injured and is hiding in the area or has gone back taking advantage of the inclement weather and dense foliage.
On August 23 morning, Brigadier Rana said a quadcopter was flown over the area and bodies of the two dead terrorists were observed.
“A deliberate operation was launched through the heavily mined area and the bodies of both the terrorists were recovered along with one AK-56, three magazines and a large quantity of ammunition, he said.
He said as the area is heavily mined, the search operation is being carried out carefully and is still under progress.
The officer said the foiling of two infiltration bids in a short span of 48 hours was a great success for the armed forces.
