The government today informed the Parliament that a total of 105 terrorists had managed to successfully infiltrate into Jammu and Kashmir from across the border in the last nine months ending September 2016.
While there were 201 attempts of infiltration from Pakistan during the period, 24 militants were killed, 72 others returned and two militants have surrendered, Minister of State for Home Hansraj Ahir informed the Rajya Sabha today.
In 2015, only 33 terrorists could infiltrate into Jammu and Kashmir from across the border.
There were 121 infiltration attempts and 46 militants were killed by security forces in that period. Ahir said that there has been a spurt in infiltration attempts from the Pakistan side.
On Tuesday, Army Chief Gen Dalbir Singh Suhag told army men to be alert against any inimical activity after reviewing security situation along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir in the wake of heightened tension in India-Pakistan ties.
Dalbir Singh’s visit came a day after Pakistan said that the Indian Army killed seven of its soldiers in shelling.
During his visit, the Army chief exhorted the troops to be alert against any inimical designs and be aggressive in their approach.
Since India carried out surgical strikes in Pakistan on September 29, cross-border firing has escalated significantly. Pakistan had been firing 120 mm heavy mortars to target Indian civilian areas, to which India had responded strongly.
Islamabad, however, denied that Indian troops crossed into Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir to target areas used to gather terrorists.
Both sides have used artillery guns in the recent past, officially the first time since the ceasefire was announced in 2003.
(With PTI inputs)
