Terror threat: Amarnath Yatra on hold, tourists and pilgrims asked to leave J&K soon

Srinagar: Pakistan-based terrorists are planning to target the Amarnath Yatra in the Kashmir Valley but security forces are up to the task to foil any such design, the army said on Friday.

General Officer Commanding of Army's 15 Corps Lt General KJS Dhillon's statement came after searches in the past few days by security forces led to the recovery of a Pakistan-made mine and a huge cache of arms from along the Amarnath Yatra route.

The Corps commander said Pakistan and its army were desperate to disrupt peace in Kashmir Valley.

"Last three to four days, we were getting specific and confirmed intelligence inputs that terrorists led by Pakistan and Pakistan Army are trying to target the Shri Amarnathji yatra which is going on," Dhillon told a joint press conference with Jammu and Kashmir Police chief Dilbagh Singh here.

Dhillon said joint teams of security forces launched searches along the twin routes of Baltal and Pahalgam leading to the holy cave shrine and recovered weapons, ammunition and explosives in the operations that have been going on for the past three days now.

"We had some major successes during the searches. Some IEDs were recovered which have been neutralised. The searches have yielded an American M-24 (Sniper) rifle and an anti-personnel mine with Pakistan Ordnance factory markings on it, which clearly indicates that Pakistan is involved in terrorism in Kashmir," he said.

"I can assure you on behalf of the security forces here that this will not be allowed to happen. Designs of Pakistan and its army will be foiled at all costs. Nobody can disrupt peace in Kashmir. This is our promise to people of Kashmir and everyone in the nation," he added.

DGP Singh said reports about massive deployment of security forces in the state were exaggerated.

"We have had number of tasks over the past nine months like elections to panchayats, ULB and Parliament. Then the Amarnath Yatra is also going on ... So the forces did not have any rest during this period.

"So some forces are being de-inducted while some are being inducted as replacement. The numbers in the media are exaggerated," Singh said.

J&K govt asks pilgrims to return

As the Army announced terror threat to the pilgrimage, the Jammu and Kashmir government asked Amarnath Yatris and tourists to cut short their stay in the Valley and return as soon as possible.

The advisory was issued by the Home Department of Jammu and Kashmir, hours after the top security establishment said there were specific inputs that the yatra would be targeted by Pakistan-backed terrorists.

"Keeping in view the latest intelligence inputs of terror threats, with specific targeting of the Amarnath yatra, and given the prevailing security situation in the Kashmir Valley, in the interest of safety and security of the tourists and Amarnath yatris, it is advised that they may curtail their stay in the valley immediately and take necessary measures to return as soon as possible," the advisory said.

The annual yatra, which began on July 1, is to end on August 15.

DGCA issues advisory

Meanwhile, aviation regulator DGCA advised airlines on Friday to remain ready to operate additional flights from the Srinagar airport if the need arises, according to a source.

"DGCA has advised airlines to remain ready. If there is a need, airlines should be ready to run extra flights," a source privy to the development told PTI.

"Around 8.45pm, the situation at the Srinagar airport was checked by the DGCA and it was found to be normal. It was found that there is no need to run extra flights right now. But if the need arises later on, the airlines have been advised to remain ready to run extra flights," the source added.

On Friday evening, IndiGo said on Twitter, "In view of the current security situation in Srinagar and the Government advisory regarding it, we are providing a full fee waiver on rescheduling/cancellation for all flights to/from Srinagar till Aug 09, 2019."

With around 49 per cent share in the domestic air-passenger market, IndiGo is the leading airline in the country.

Vistara tweeted, "Due to prevailing security situation in Kashmir, we are waiving change and cancellation fees for flights to/from Jammu and Kashmir for next seven days (till August 9, 2019). Only fare difference, if any, will be applicable for date changes."

Air India said on Twitter in view of the prevailing situation in Jammu and Kashmir, it will give a full fee waiver on rescheduling or cancellation for all flights to or from Srinagar till August 15.

'Largely peaceful'

Dhillon said the situation along the LoC is under control and peaceful as of now.

"Infiltration from Pakistani side is being attempted but these attempts have regularly been foiled. In one of the incidents on 30 July, three terrorists were eliminated in Gurez sector. Yesterday night also an infiltration attempt was made in Kupwara sector," he said.

The officer said according to available intelligence reports, all the launch pads in Pakistan occupied Kashmir are full and infiltrators are attempting to enter through LoC in Kashmir.

"It is also happening in Poonch-Rajouri. Even infiltration is happening in Jammu to Pathankot sectors. This is in addition to other routes through other countries. Infiltration is not down, attempts are being made but they are being dealt with at LoC," he said.

Singh said Pakistan Army had resorted to ceasefire violation after a gap of four months targeting civilian areas.

"There have been ceasefire violations on 30 July, Pakistan army resorted to unprovoked artillery firing which was retaliated in a befitting manner and thereafter they are quiet. In case they attempt again, it would again be replied in a manner better than the previous time," he said, adding the previous ceasefire violation to this was on March 12.

On the counter-insurgency operations in hinterland, he said the focus has been on eliminating the leadership of the terror outfits.

"In the last six seven months, we have been able to eliminate most of the top leadership and the job is still in progress," he said.

The DGP said security forces have been able to eliminate the leadership of Lashkar-e-Toiba and Jaish in the valley.

"The number of leaders surviving is limited. We have been able to eliminate some of the groups altogether. Ansar Gahzwatul Hind hardly anyone is left now, Al Badr is almost decimated, Hizbul Mujahideen is demolished to a large extent. Overall the number of active militants has come down," he claimed.

He said the security forces have also targeted the overground workers' network of the militants and arrested number of them.

"We have also taken action against banned groups like Jamaate Islami and JKLF," he added.

Officials said the IED threat and activities have been on the increase in the last one year.

Inspector General of Police, Kashmir, S P Pani said 10 IED attempts were made in the past several months.

"We have busted five IED modules and arrested several persons. The noose has been tightened around the theft of explosive materials available locally," he said.

He said some of the top IED experts among the militant ranks including Munna Lahori and Fayaz Panzoo have been eliminated during operations last week.

(With inputs from PTI and IANS)