Thursday, March 26, 2009

Kashmir on alert amid fears of militant incursion: Police chief

JAMMU, March 25: Areas in Jammu and Kashmir bordering Pakistan have been put on “highest alert” after reports that militants are getting together to penetrate into India ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, says the state’s police chief. Director General of Police Kuldeep Khuda said after a brief “deceptive lull”, Pakistan has restarted pushing infiltrators into the state. Security forces “have been asked to be on highest alert on the Line of Control (LoC) and the international border” after reports that militants are grouping to infiltrate to this side, Khuda told IANS in an interview.

He said Pakistan continued to support militancy and push terrorists into Kashmir though there had been a drop in infiltration and “terrorist activities after the Nov 26 Mumbai attacks”. “I don’t find a change in the attitude of Pakistan as far as terrorism is concerned. Also there are indications that it (Pakistan) might gradually raise the pitch as per (its) convenience,” Khuda said. “Pakistan resorted to cosmetic actions (after Mumbai attacks). But things reversed in no time,” the police chief added, referring to increased movement of militants in the Kashmir Valley, particularly in the border district of Kupwara.

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