Representative image of terrorists.
Credit: iStock Photo
Srinagar: The Indian Army foiled an infiltration attempt along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir’s border Poonch-Rajouri districts, arresting a Pakistani national believed to be a trained guide of the banned terrorist outfit Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), officials said on Monday.
The guide, identified as Mohammad Arif in his late 20’s, was captured by alert Army personnel near the forward Hajura post in the Gambhir area, which falls under the jurisdiction of the Army’s Ace of Spades division. Arif was leading a group of four heavily armed JeM terrorists attempting to sneak into Indian territory on Sunday.
According to the officials, the group was intercepted near an Indian forward post. While Arif was apprehended after advancing too close to the post, the four terrorists accompanying him panicked and jumped off a steep cliff to escape. They managed to retreat to the Pakistani side under the cover of thick vegetation and adverse weather conditions.
Due to the proximity of Pakistani army posts, Indian troops refrained from opening fire, officials said. However, drone surveillance of the area revealed a trail of blood, indicating that the fleeing terrorists sustained injuries during their fall.
“During preliminary interrogation, Arif confessed that he was guiding the group and was familiar with infiltration routes historically used by terror outfits to enter the border districts of Poonch and Rajouri,” an official said on condition of anonymity.
Security personnel recovered a mobile phone and Pakistani currency worth ₹20,000 from Arif. He reportedly told interrogators that he was operating under instructions from the Pakistani Army to facilitate the infiltration of JeM operatives into Indian territory.
Currently in Army custody, Arif is being jointly interrogated by military and intelligence officials. Sources said he is suspected to have played a role in previous infiltration attempts, using his knowledge of the rugged LoC terrain to assist terror groups in crossing over under cover of night.
Officials believe this latest infiltration bid is part of a broader pattern by Pakistan-based terrorist groups to push militants into Jammu and Kashmir, taking advantage of the summer season and melting snow that opens traditional high-altitude routes.
According to security agencies, the Pakistani Army and its spy agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), continue to provide logistical and operational support to terror outfits like JeM and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), keeping the LoC volatile and threatening the fragile peace in the region.
The LoC, particularly in the twin border districts of Poonch and Rajouri, has witnessed a surge in infiltration attempts in recent months. With intelligence inputs suggesting a revival of terror training camps across the border, the Army has intensified surveillance and patrols in sensitive areas.
Officials caution that more such infiltration bids are likely in the coming weeks as Pakistan-backed terrorist networks attempt to re-establish their footprint in the region.