Srinagar: Pakistan is trying to step up infiltration and push in more terrorists into J&K after failing to instigate the people of Kashmir following last year's August 5 decision of revoking Article 370.
GoC 19 Infantry Division Kashmir Major General Virendra Vats said this at a press conference in Baramulla, North Kashmir on Saturday.
"Pakistan has been failing in its attempt to instigate the people of Kashmir ever since we had the momentous decision of August last year, they have been trying very hard, they also know the season is coming to an end very soon, three or four months is what they have, so they shall try their best to push in the terrorists," he said.
The GoC said that the launch pads across the LoC are fully active and terrorists are making attempts to infiltrate into India.
"The launch pads are fully occupied and if we have to hazard a guess it would be anything between 250 to 300 terrorists in the launch pads, he said.
About Saturday's operation at Nougam Kupwara in which infiltrators were killed, he said the action of the troops was precise and timely, thereby ensuring a clean operation.
"The infiltration attempt follows similar attempts made by Pakistan in Kupwara and Rajouri sectors in the recent past and needs to be seen in the backdrop of various inputs about increased presence of terrorists in the launch pads across the LoC fully facilitated and supported by the Pakistan army," he said.
Six insurgents killed in encounter in Arunachal Pradesh's Khonsa
Earlier, six NSCN (IM) insurgents were killed in an encounter with security forces in Khonsa area of Arunachal Pradesh early on Saturday morning, military sources said.
One soldier of Assam Rifles was injured in the operation and his condition was stated to be stable, they said.
Khonsa is in Tirap district of Arunachal Pradesh, and at a distance of 50 km from Tinsukia, a leading industrial town in Assam.
The encounter took place at around 4:30 am, the sources said, adding six weapons along with "war-like stores" were recovered from the area.
The operation was launched by the Assam Rifles based on specific intelligence inputs that armed insurgents were present in the general area of Khonsa in Tirap district of Arunachal Pradesh.
"At approximately 4:30 hours, an operational contact was established with the NSCN (IM) insurgents in the area. In the ensuing firefight, six insurgents were neutralised," said a source.
The National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah) or NSCN (IM) is a militant outfit fighting for a separate homeland for Naga people for last several decades.
It has been holding talks with the Centre for resolution of the vexed six-decade-long Naga issue.
