More than 400 militants are stationed in launching pads in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, ready to infiltrate through the Line of Control to step up violence in the state, defence sources said in Jammu on Sunday.
"Some 300-400 militants are in launching pads, ready to infiltrate into Jammu and Kashmir to keep the pot of militancy boiling and boost the sagging moral of the militants here," a source told PTI.
The intelligence and ground reports collected by various security agencies put the figure at over 400, the sources said, adding that the agencies have also detected increased infiltration along the Line of Control, particularly in Rajouri-Poonch sector of Jammu region and Gurez sector of Kashmir this year.
The militants are in 18 launching pads mostly in Goi, Kotli, Nikial, Bindi, Samani, Dhallupar, Hijira, Sensakudiala Bhimber and Mamana along the LoC, they said.
There are 26 militant training camps, including 21 along LoC and four along the international border, they said.
General Officer Commanding Lieutenant General R K Karwal had on Wednesday also confirmed reports of over 300 to 400 militants stationed along the LoC.
Security agencies claim that some 62 militants have entered Jammu and Kashmir in the first three months of this year.
Keeping in view the apprehension of increase in infiltration attempts, the Army has taken out some units from counter-insurgency grid and deployed additional troops along LoC to stop cross-border infiltration into Jammu and Kashmir, General Karwal said.
Most of the units withdrawn from counter-insurgency duty have been deployed on LoC in Rajouri and Poonch sectors, he said, adding that these army units will go back to their areas once their job is done.
As the snow melts during summer season, infiltration bids go up, he said.
Twelve infiltration bids were made from across the LoC in 2007, resulting in the killing of 14 terrorists, he said. In 2008, two infiltration attempts were made during which five militants were gunned down, he said.
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