The Hindu : Front Page : LoC fighting sparks fears of bloody summer

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Tuesday, May 20, 2008
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LoC fighting sparks fears of bloody summer

Praveen Swami

Jawan killed in 20-minute assault

“Attack could not have been carried out without Army consent”
BSF to realign fencing along border in Jammu

NEW DELHI: Indian troops stationed along the Line of Control in Poonch came under intense fire on Monday, in the latest of a series of assaults which could lead to the unravelling of the ceasefire which went into place in 2003.

Kranti Post, an Indian forward position near Salhotri village, was hit with rockets and grenades just after 8 a.m. — the second ceasefire violation along the LoC in less than a week. Jawashwar Lami Chhame, a Nepali national serving with 2-8 Gurkha Rifles, died when he was hit by shrapnel during the estimated 20-minute assault.

Tensions since late April

Salhotri had seen a build-up of tensions since late April, when terrorists began to use Pakistani military positions as staging posts for infiltration attempts. Indian troops interdicted a group on the Tarkundi Gali pass on May 16, and killed one terrorist.

“It is impossible to say whether Monday’s attack was carried out by terrorists or military personnel, but a sustained daylight attack from across the LoC could not have been carried out without the consent of the Pakistan Army,” a senior official at the Nagrota-based XVI Crops told The Hindu.

Earlier this month, Pakistan troops opened fire with machine guns and mortar on an Indian position in Tanghdar. Several shells fell close to the post in the course of the May 13 night-time assault. No casualties were, however, reported.

Logistics support

Pakistan’s Army-led border police, the Rangers, are also thought to have provided logistics support for a May 9 infiltration attempt which involved cutting through border fencing near Samba. Both terrorists who crossed the fencing were shot dead two days later at Regal village. Four civilians —among them news photographer Ashok Sodhi — were killed in the fighting, along with two soldiers.

Border Security Force officials say three earlier attempts to penetrate the border fencing near Jammu were made this year, starting with a February 22 incident near Makwal, where two infiltrators were shot dead. On March 3, a terrorist was killed while attempting to cross the fencing near the Chak Rangwari post, and another attempt was made near Chak Abdullian on April 30.

In an effort to improve border security, the BSF now intends realigning fencing along the border in Jammu, while the Army is enhancing counter-infiltration measures along the LoC.

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