Less army in Kashmir heights eased infiltration: Report

The group,which mainly comprised cadres of Lashkar-e-Taiba,travelled through Leepa Valley,Sadhna Top,Bungus Valley and later to Rajwar forest in Handwara district of North Kashmir.

The report,which also has been backed up by wireless intercepts,claimed that the militants were well entrenched in the forests of Rajwar.

The group had no confrontation with the Army,it added.

When contacted for Army’s reaction,the spokesperson for Srinagar-based 15 Corps or Kupwara-based 28-Division refused to answer any questions.

A detailed questionnaire on infiltration sent to Col J S Brar,acting as spokesperson of 15 Corps,was not answered despite several reminders.

According to the report,another group of 25 LeT militants entered through Authmuqam,Rotagali and Godagap and split into batches of 17 and eight.

The larger group moved to old Rangwar forests and Dragyani where they were intercepted by Six Rashtriya Rifles of Army. In the ensuing encounter,17 militants were killed.

Army personnel also suffered heavy causalities.

Major Mohit Sharma fell into a trap and was killed by the group of eight LeT men,who had separated.

The group,according to the intercepts,had moved well into Fallmarg-Huchmarg-Hafrada and later to Handwara,the report said.

Besides,another group of 10 Hizbul Mujahideen ultras entered from Ratipani in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir to Sonapindi-Ringthatop,Kalrooch and Lolab in North Kashmir,the report said.

None of them was killed by the army and the group was very much in Lolab valley,the report added.

Another group of 10 LeT militants entered through Tejyan-Muthalgali and moved to Nawanggali and Warnowtop.

The group later shifted to Bandipora in North Kashmir,it said.

This was followed by a major infiltration by a group of 120 people,including 65 militants,in Gurez sector.

The Army,however,claimed that there were only 31 militants in the group and that 12 of them have been shot dead in an encounter.

Meanwhile,the FIR,which is mandatory in case of an encounter,showed that only one terrorist of the group had been killed and that too due to hostile weather conditions.

Two of the terrorists arrested in this connection have told the interrogators that they had travelled from Kel area and trekked through Naushera,Nad areas and later to Bunnar forests.

This was followed by five cases registered in Handwara district in which seven militants were killed.

The report suggested that nearly 70 odd militants had sneaked into various heights in Bandipora,Lolab and Kangan in Central Kashmir.