Centre direct security forces to put five-layer grid to stop infiltration

The Centre has directed security forces to put in place a five-layer infiltration grid along the Line of Control and the International Border (IB) with Pakistan to identify and eliminate top commanders of terror outfits Lashkar-e-Tayeeba and Jaish-e-Mohammed operating in the Kashmir Valley “within a fixed deadline”.

The directions came from home minister Rajnath Singh during a high-level meeting chaired by him on the prevailing security situation in the Valley. National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and senior officials from various ministries and security agencies were at the meeting.

The home minister, sources said, stressed on the need to plug loopholes along the LoC and the border which were being used by militants to sneak in.

Recent intelligence reports suggest that as many as 100 militants may have managed to infiltrate from across the border following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in early July, and it is suspected that the four militants involved in the Uri Army camp attack had managed to cross over just a few hours before the strike.

Apart from strengthening the anti-infiltration mechanism along the border, the Centre has also directed security forces, particularly the Army, to launch a massive offensive against militant commanders active in the Valley. Sources said the security forces have been asked to zero down on these militants and eliminate them within a specific time limit. For this multiple agencies have been asked to pool their resources and strengthen their intelligence gathering and sharing mechanism, particularly at the ground level in the Valley.

Home secretary Rajiv Mehrishi flew down to Srinagar to ensure that all instructions are implemented with immediate effect. In Srinagar, Mr Mehrishi met senior security officials to review arrangements at vital installations and to ensure that there is no sudden spurt in incidents of stone pelting and protests by mobs.

During the high-level meeting chaired by the home minister, intelligence agencies informed Mr Singh that the Uri attack had been carried out under the direct command and supervision of Jaish chief Maulana Masood Azhar. The home minister was also informed that the militants were heavily armed with sophisticated weapons which could only have been arranged by state actors like Army or ISI in Pakistan.

“An attack of this magnitude, particularly the planning and training could have been executed only on directions of a top commander like Masood Azhar. They would also have been supported by either the ISI or the Army considering these militants were so well prepared with sophisticated weapons, GPS, maps, food packets, health drinks and medicines,’’ a senior security official said.