Rs 700 cr spent on fencing J-K security installations

DEC 13: Alarmed over the sneak-in attacks by the fidayeen in the Valley, the security forces have started fencing their installations. At ...

DEC 13: Alarmed over the sneak-in attacks by the fidayeen in the Valley, the security forces have started fencing their installations. At least Rs 700 crore has been spent on it. Thirty sneak-in attacks have been carried out by the militants since last year, resulting in casualties besides devastation of the barracks.

After the first `suicide’ attack on November 3, 1999 at the 15 Corps headquarters, the Army began fencing its installations across the Valley with brick walls and barbed wire. The Division and Brigade headquarters have been surrounded with brick walls while most of the sector and battalion headquarters are “secured” by barbed wire fences.

At some places, the height of the fencing has been raised. It is expected that the raised fences will make it difficult for militants to scale the walls. Also, barbed wires have been fitted on the brick walls to ensure maximum safety for the camps.

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Sources said barbed wire fencing without brick walls is not proving to be a deterrent for the attackers as militants had barged into a Rashtriya Rifles camp at Magam in Handwara last month. They revealed that militants cut the wire fencing to sneak into the camp. Several soldiers, including a Junior Commissioned Officer, were killed in the attack.

To further strengthen security, forces have hanged bottles and tin boxes on the barbed wire which helps them detect movement at night.

Brigadier VPS Gill, Chief Engineer Military Engineering Service (MES), refused to divulge details. “I cannot provide information on this sensitive matter. The MES is not the only agency which is carrying out constructions. There are other concerns as well,” Brig Gill said.

The Army apart, the Border Security Force, CRPF, Police and ITBP have also fenced their installations. Almost all the police stations and police lines have been fenced.

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Sources say fencing around the security installations have deterred sneak-in attackers. The militants have so far targeted the camps which were not properly fenced.

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