Incursions by Terrorists in to Kashmir

 The Indian Army has moved more than 6,000 troops to the Chinese border amid reports of Chinese intrusions in Bhutan. The Chief of Army Staff, Gen. Deepak Kapoor, said here on Thursday, however, that the reported intrusions of Chinese forces into Bhutan was “a matter between the two countries.”

The shifting of Army formations north of Nathu-La comes in the wake of reports of Chinese troops coming close to the Siliguri corridor. But the Army authorities said that Chinese forces had been coming close to the Dolam Plateau for over two decades, as the boundary in the area is still to be precisely defined.

The Army Chief also said that infiltration in Jammu and Kashmir had been continuing, and warned that there was a chance of “jihadis and fundamentalists,” facing a renewed crackdown in Pakistan, sneaking into India, and specifically across the Line of Control into Jammu and Kashmir, in the wake of the political turmoil in the neighbouring country.

  On the issue of infiltration into Jammu and Kashmir, the Army Chief said: “This could be a tactic by Pakistan to divert attention from its internal crisis.” He added that infiltration had not stopped and was actually continuing in Jammu and Kashmir. Though it is more difficult to cross over during the winter due to the snow, Gen. Kapoor said the militants used routes south of the Pir Panjal ranges to sneak in.

“Ever since the passes have been opened in Jammu and Kashmir, infiltration has been on. And now that the passes are closing down due to snow, there is a possibility that influx bids are shifted to areas south of Pir Panjal, where there is not much snow,” the Army Chief said. Gen. Kapoor said the security forces had mounted strict vigil all along the Line of Control to check any spurt in militant activities.