Jammu, July 9
Israeli equipment has succeeded in detecting infiltration of militants from across the border in Jammu and Kashmir.

The thermal images system, imported from Israel, has been installed at several places in the Poonch, Rajouri, R. S. Pora, Samba, Uri, Kupwara and Kargil sectors to detect ingress.

A Defence Ministry official said the apparatus works on the principle of heat. “Infiltration of humans and even cattle generates heat and the scanner fitted with the equipment starts imaging the infiltration routes”, he said.

The equipment is installed during the night and is so sophisticated that experts can decipher from the images whether or not it is cattle infiltration. Each equipment costs about Rs 20 lakh.

The official said in the recent weeks, more than six infiltrators had been gunned down by the Indian forces after their ingress was indicated on the thermal imaging equipment which has a 3 to 4 km range.

India has decided to import from Israel improved version of the equipment with a range of 6 to 7 km.

Meanwhile, the latest sensors developed by the Defence Ministry’s research unit in Bangalore, have been sent for trial. “If the sensors are found to be useful they will be installed in each sector and sub-sector”, he said.

The advantage with thermal images equipment and the sensors is that its results are accurate and gives an opportunity to the border guards to act in the right direction for eliminating the infiltrators. It also does not involve any risk which one faces while monitoring the movements of militants on the border with the naked eye.