The Indian Army on Thursday lashed out at Pakistan for indulging in “new deceit in the garb of ceasefire understanding” to push its “nefarious designs to revive its dying agenda in Kashmir and keep the pot boiling”.
The statement comes against the backdrop of the successful elimination of an infiltration bid along the Line of Control (LoC) in the Keran sector of Kupwara district, in which three Pakistani terrorists were gunned down in an early morning operation.
“Pakistan’s nefarious designs to revive the dying agenda and keep the pot boiling in Jammu and Kashmir under the garb of Ceasefire Understanding by Pakistan Army is the new deceit,” the statement issued by the Srinagar-based Army PRO Col Emron Musavi read.
He said that “exporting terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir has been a state policy of Pakistan in the last three decades. Increased desperation of terrorist handlers in POJK is evident as a result of effect-based operations conducted by the Indian Army and prevailing peace and tranquillity evident from large number of tourists coming to the valley.”
The Army said that the elimination of three Pakistani terrorists, “recovery of war like stores to include stores for Improvised Explosive Devices” is a clear indication of an intent to disrupt peace, the prosperity of locals, and the impending Amarnath Yatra.
The statement said that the alert Indian Army foiled an infiltration attempt in the forward areas of the Keran sector on May 26, culminating in the killing of three terrorists and the recovery of large quantities of war-like stores.
“The operation was launched based on Joint Intelligence from several agencies including SSP Kupwara. Several search parties were formed, who conducted vigorous searches and established multiple ambushes,” it said.
According to the Army, contact with the terrorists was established at 4.45 am on May 26 in the forward areas close to the LoC, leading to a heavy exchange of fire.
“One civil porter also lost his life in the firefight. The thorough search was conducted in the morning and concluded at about 2 pm. Search of the area yielded dead bodies of three terrorists, three AK rifles, one pistol, six grenades and large quantities of ammunition and stores related to Improvised Explosive Devices,” the statement said.
The Jammu and Kashmir police, meanwhile, said on Thursday that so far this year alone 26 foreign terrorists have been killed in various encounters by the security forces.
“Out of 26 foreign terrorists killed this year so far, 14 are from Jaish-e-Mohammed and 12 from Lashkar-e- Taiba,” the inspector general of police (IGP) Kashmir zone Vijay Kumar said.
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