M A I N   N E W S

Barbed wire to check infiltration in J&K
Curbs on movement of nomads

New Delhi, April 13
As part of its new strategy to check infiltration from across the border, the government is understood to have given its nod to erect barbed wire fence at several points along the Line of Control, besides prohibiting nomads from going to higher reaches for greener pastures during the coming summer.

According to sources, a proposal was jointly mooted by the Army and the Jammu and Kashmir Government to the Centre, which was cleared for implementation, with the former bearing the cost of laying double barbed wire fence at several places along the Line of Control.

A joint survey conducted by intelligence agencies, the Army and the state government along the Line of Control identified several points from where militants used to sneak into the state and create trouble.

They said the step was taken in view of information from several border observing posts that a large number of militants were waiting across the Line of Control for the snow to melt so that they could infiltrate into the state.

They said besides these measures, the Army had also decided to prevent “Gujjars” (nomads) from going to higher reaches during the coming summer in some areas following reports that militants used to come down to the villages posing as shepherds.

The sources said Rs 7 crore had been earmarked for the relocation of these nomads to other places, besides providing necessary facilities for their cattle.

The move comes in the wake of confessions by some nomads, picked up for questioning during the winter, who had revealed that militants had come down with them in some areas of Poonch and Surankote.

The sources said some militants responsible in creating a terror scare in Doda, Poonch, Rajouri and Udhampur in the Jammu region had come using the same modus operandi.

The Army has already deployed “sensors” along strategic points along the LoC to detect any infiltration and now “thermal devices” have been also put in place for the purpose. PTI