General Kapoor said the ceasefire violations at the Line of Control were “diversionary tactics” meant to enable terrorists to cross into India.
“Ceasefire violations have increased because this enables infiltration to be carried out when the firing is on and (it) can be used as a diversionary tactic,” Kapoor told reporters here.
“Their attempt is to infiltrate more and more people during ceasefire violation. But we understand their tactics and take appropriate steps,” he added.
The first casualty during a ceasefire breach this year at the Line of Control, which divides Jammu and Kashmir between India and Pakistan, happened on September 1 when an Indian soldier was killed in Poonch district in Pakistani firing.
India and Pakistan agreed to a ceasefire along Line of Control in November 2003.
Defence Minister A K Antony recently disclosed in Parliament that 110 incidents of ceasefire violations had taken place along the Line of Control since 2006.
Silent on support
General Kapoor, however, refused to say if the ceasefire violations had the backing of Pakistan’s leadership. “That only the Pakistani leadership can tell,” the army chief said.
“But as far as we are concerned, whenever a ceasefire violation will take place, we will take retaliatory action. “We try to exercise maximum restraint but if ceasefire viol’ations continue to happen, we will have to retaliate at some stage,” he said.
As another fierce battle raged between security forces and a group of Lashkar-e-Toiba militants in Reasi district, the army chief said attempts were being made to disrupt peace in the Kashmir Valley.
Critical period
“This period is critical as we have a peaceful valley. Attempts will be made from across the border to try and disrupt that and push in as many infiltrators as possible before the winter sets in,” he said. The army had put up a “multi-tier” defence system to check infiltration.
There has been a surge in incidents of infiltration. Soldiers foiled an infiltration bid in Gurez sector on Wednesday, killing five men attempting to cross over from Pakistan.
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