The Indian Army troops recently used Anti-Tank Guided Missiles and artillery shells to target Pakistan Army positions opposite Jammu and Kashmir's Kupwara sector. Indian Army action was in response to frequent ceasefire violations by Pakistan to push infiltrators into Jammu and Kashmir, according to the sources.
Earlier, DGP Dilbag Singh had said that the ceasefire violations by Pakistan increased manifold to push armed terrorists into the valley and sabotage peace. He also asserted that the security grid is strong to foil the neighbouring nation's designs. The Union Territory's director general of police (DGP) also said a few successful infiltration bids were made by terrorists but they were neutralised in the Kashmir Valley during counter-insurgency operations.
"The ceasefire violations by Pakistan has increased manifold with an aim to push as many terrorists into this side to sabotage the peaceful atmosphere. "Despite increased ceasefire violations, we are alert to the challenge and have already foiled a number of infiltration attempts," Singh told reporters after inaugurating the 9th Police Martyr's Memorial Inter Club T-20 Cricket Championship in Kathua district.
Minister of State for Defence Shripad Naik on Wednesday said that there was a total of 646 incidents of ceasefire violations along the Indo-Pakistan International Border (IB) as well as the Line of Control (LoC) between January 1 and February 23 this year.
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"There have been 27 encounters with terrorists in the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) since August 5 last year to February 23 this year. Forty five terrorists were neutralised and 7 security force personnel were also martyred," the minister stated. On August 5 last year, the Central government had revoked Article 370 to take away Jammu and Kashmir's special status, and bifurcated the state into two union territories, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
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"In addition, 132 cases of cross border firing from August 5, 2019 to December 31, 2019 and 41 cases of cross border firing between January 1 and February 15 this year along the international border and LOC in union territory of J&K were committed," Naik stated.
In a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha, the minister said that during 2019, there were 1,586 incidents of ceasefire violations at the LoC and Indo-Pakistan international border.
(With Agency Inputs)