In a fresh attempt to tackle the rising terrorism in the Jammu region, the government on Saturday ordered to send two more battalions to the Jammu region. 2,000 BSF jawans will be deployed near LOC in the Samba range (near the Punjab-Jammu state border). The battalions currently deployed in Odisha will move to Jammu "immediately."
"Two recent meetings, one in Delhi and one in Jammu, of the top security brass necessitated bolstering BSF deployment in Jammu," said a senior officer. The official added, "There was a proposal to move two BSF battalions from Odisha to Chhattisgarh to intensify anti-Naxal operations there but these units are now being sent to Jammu, given the current situation."
The latest announcement comes after an encounter took place between the terrorists and the Indian Army today, in Kupwara where five soldiers including a captain were injured and one Rifleman Mohit Rathour died in an encounter with Pakistan's BAT terrorists near the LOC. A terrorist was also neutralised during the encounter.
Notably, on Saturday morning, a group of 2-3 terrorists took advantage of bad weather and poor visibility along the Line of Control in Machhal Sector crossed the LoC and fired on a forward Army post from proximity. Alert troops responded ferociously and in the ensuing exchange of fire one Pakistani terrorist was killed along with recovery of weapons, ammunition and war-like store.
Rise in terrorism in Jammu
The Jammu region, which remained relatively peaceful between 2005 and 2021 after security forces wiped out decades-long terrorism, witnessed a spike in terror attacks over the past month. It included an attack on a pilgrim bus that left nine persons dead and 40 injured. Terror activities resurfaced in October 2021 from the twin border districts of Poonch and Rajouri. Some of the deadly attacks that spread to Reasi, Kathua and Doda were attributed by the security establishment as an attempt by Pakistani handlers to revive terrorism in the Jammu region. Over 70 people, including more than 50 security personnel -- mostly from the Army -- have been killed in terror-related incidents in the Jammu region since 2021.
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