Jammu: Senior BSF and police officials from Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab on Thursday discussed ways to share real-time inputs and further strengthen the anti-infiltration grid along the International Border in a meeting in Kathua district, where five army personnel were killed in an ambush by terrorists three days ago.
The interstate security review meeting came in the backdrop of information that the terrorists behind the Monday ambush on an army patrol could have infiltrated through the International Border (IB) either into Kathua and Samba districts in the Jammu region or Pathankot in Punjab, officials, aware of the developments, said.
The security grid along the IB in Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab was reviewed along with measures to plug any loopholes to counter infiltration from Pakistan, they said while giving details of the meeting that was held at the District Police Lines in Kathua and chaired by Border Security Force (BSF) Special Director General, Western Command, Y B Khuraia.
Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police R R Swain and his Punjab counterpart Gaurav Yadav were among those present at the more than three-hour-long meeting.
Strengthening coordination and sharing of real-time inputs among police and border guarding agencies were also discussed in detail with a focus on strengthening the synergy to counter terror threats, and smuggling of weapons and narcotics, the officials said.
They said the meeting was also attended by J&K Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Vijay Kumar, Punjab ADG (Law and Order) Arpit Shukla, ADG (Jammu Zone) Anand Jain and Inspector General-rank BSF officers of Punjab and Jammu.
The meeting also comes at a time when terror activity has increased in the otherwise peaceful Jammu region with terrorists managing to carry out five attacks within a span of one month — between June 09 and July 08.
On the infiltration, the officials said the routes in Jammu, believed to have been used by the terrorists, were active when militancy was at its peak in the area over two decades ago. The Jammu region was cleared of terrorists but the revival of terror activities has led to serious security concerns.
They said it is believed that the terrorists after infiltrating reached the dense forests of Machedi that connects Basantgarh in Udhampur and Bhaderwah in Doda district.
The ambush was laid on the Machedi-Kindli-Malhar mountain road near Badnota village in Kathua.
More than 60 people have so far been detained for questioning in connection with the attack as a massive search for the terrorists entered its fourth day on Thursday.
Security forces intensify search operations, more detained for questioning
More army personnel were deployed in the hills and dense forests of Kathua-Udhampur-Doda belt as the search for the terrorists behind the ambush on an army patrol in Kathua district entered its fourth day on Thursday.
Since the attack on Monday that killed five army personnel and injured as many, 60 people have been detained for questioning, including three individuals suspected of providing food and shelter to the terrorists, officials said.
One of those detained is a woman who cooked food and handed it over to a person. The quantity of food prepared was sufficient for “10 to 15 people”, they said. Security agencies suspect that the food was intended for the terrorists, the officials added.
In Kathua, senior police and Border Security Force officers from Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab met to discuss the security grid along the International Border (IB), from across which the terrorists are believed to have infiltrated, the officials said.
On the search operation, the officials said troops are moving with caution as there is a threat of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDS).
The search has been expanded into the hilly areas of Kathua, Udhampur, and Doda districts of the Jammu region, which has seen a spate of terror incidents since June.
Troops from the Army’s 9 Corps have intensified their presence in the Kathua hills, while the Delta Force of the 16 Corps has moved in more personnel in the twin districts of Udhampur and Doda, focusing on areas like Seoj Dhar, historically a sanctuary for terrorists, particularly foreign militants, in 1990s.
This has been done to cordon the hilly areas so that the terrorists cannot escape, the officials said and added that the ground teams are being supported by surveillance data from unmanned aerial vehicles. Special forces and sniffer dog units of the army have also been deployed, they said.
These areas are characterized by dense forests, deep valleys, caves, and rugged terrain, with troops contending with adverse weather conditions such as rain and fog, the officials said.
Security measures have been increased to counter potential IED threats along highways and other sensitive areas, including the sites of the ongoing Amarnath Yatra, they said.
