Army repairing fence on LoC to check infiltration

Avalanches and mudslides cause the damage every winter

As militants across the Line of Control (LoC) are desperate to infiltrate in coming weeks due to the melting of snow, the Army has started repairing the damaged fence on the border to foil their designs.

General Officer Commanding (GOC) of Baramulla-based 19 Division of the Army Major General V G Khandare said that Army engineers have started repairing the LoC fence in the first week of April ahead of the schedule.

“Normally we used to start the repair works in the first week of May but this year we started it early due to militant designs of infiltrating in May,” he said.

Snow avalanches and mud slides damage the fence along 740 kilometre LoC in the Jammu and Kashmir every year during winter and the Army engineers start repair work ahead of summer to prevent infiltration from damaged parts of the fence.

Maj Gen Khandare said 20-30 per cent fence was damaged due to snow and avalanches this year and Army engineers are working overtime to complete the work.  “They will finish the repair work probably by the end of this month,” he added.

Army commander said the LoC fence has alarm system and there is improvised obstacle system in position to counter any cross LoC movement.

Sources said there are large numbers of militants waiting across the LoC to infiltrate and they are trying to find the gaps. They said that militants have carried out recce at several places including Dulanja and Kamal Kote areas of Uri and parts of Nowgam sector in Handwara area where the snow has already melted.

“Militants work under a plan and the infiltration route is mainly dependent on the availability of guides. Wherever the guides are available to them they select that sector for infiltration,” the sources said.

Army sources said that no infiltration has taken place this year so far.
“However, some of the militants who were in Lolab and other forest areas of North Kashmir have shifted to Central Kashmir district of Ganderbal, outskirts of Srinagar in Dara area and Tral area of South Kashmir,” they added.