Hindon (Ghaziabad): Army chief General Bikram Singh on Tuesday said the "desperate infiltration bid" by terrorists in Keran sector in Jammu and Kashmir has been foiled.
He sought to clarify that the infiltration attempt was not an "intrusion" as the enemy was not occupying higher ground but sitting in a "nallah" (rivulet).
"It was a desperate infiltration bid, which has been foiled," Gen Singh told reporters here on the sidelines of the Air Force Day parade.
The Army Chief said that seven of the terrorists involved in the Keran sector had apparently pulled out from there and tried to infiltrate from other areas but were gunned down by the security forces.
The 30-40 infiltrating militants were well equipped carrying supplies that would have lasted them 20 to 30 days, Lt Gen Chachra said.
"We have recovered signal, communication equipments, night vision devices, rations that would have sustained them for almost 20 to 30 days," he said.
"There were 30 to 40 militants in the infiltrating column at Shaalbhati village in Keran sector. We carried out a number of searches in that area and adjacent areas. We have found eight bodies," he said.
Replying to a question on rest of the militants, he said, "(Bodies of) some of them might have been dragged back. Some of them were used in other subsequent operations in neighbouring areas."
The Army commander said infiltration attempts from across the Line of Control (LoC) will continue till the winter sets in.
"The infiltration bids will continue till winter sets in. More such attempts will be made. We had an infiltration bid in a neighbouring area last night," he said.
He said the desperation among the militants to infiltrate into Kashmir was due to the dwindling number of ultras in the Valley. "This is the time when they can reinforce their numbers," he said.
Lt Gen Chachra said, "Sanctity of the LoC is well maintained (by the Indian side). This is our charter, this is the mandate given to us. The sanctity of the LoC can never be trampled."
In response to a question, the Army commander said infiltrating militants have always received the tacit support of the Pakistan Army establishment.
"We are almost on eyeball-to-eyeball and we can see each other. At such a point, when a large group of terrorists infiltrate....you mean to say that that is happening without the complicity of the Pakistan Army? This is ridiculous," he said.
Lt Gen Chachra said most of the arms recovered from the area of the operation have Pakistan marking.
The senior officer said he visited the five soldiers injured in the gunbattle and also interacted with the officers and jawans on the ground.
"Their morale is high. The injured boys are recovering and there is no need to worry about them," he added.
