General Officer Commanding-in-Chief (GOC-in-C) Northern Command, Lt. Gen. Upendra Dwivedi said that 200 terrorists are trying to sneak into Jammu and Kashmir despite a ceasefire on the borders.
Interacting with media persons, Lt. Gen Dwivedi said that infiltration is drastically down, yet currently there are 200 terrorists staged across the border ready to be launched into Jammu and Kashmir.
The GOC-in-C, however, informed that the number of trained terrorists has been decreasing due to pressure mounted by the forces in Jammu and Kashmir.
"Twenty-one foreign terrorists have been eliminated this year so far in absence of local shelter and support", he said but hastened to add that nearly 200 terrorists were desperately waiting on the border to sneak into this side.
He asserted that the counter-infiltration grid is very fool-proof. "We have made sure that all reserve troops were put in the second tier of defence so that no infiltration takes place," he said.
40 to 50 terrorists active in the hinterland
He said that approximately 40 to 50 terrorists are active in the hinterland. "In the hinterland, infiltration takes place from various places, it goes through the thick jungle through the snowy mountains which are there and also from International Border from Jammu and Punjab and even from Nepal", he said.
The Army Commander, however, asserted that the aim of the forces is to identify these people and neutralize them at the earliest possible time frame.
Situation on LAC is stable
The GOC-in-C said that situation on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) is stable. "The situation as of today on the LAC is stable it is in the state of heightened alert", he said, adding, "We don't want a situation to be repeated which took place in April 2020 as a result of the force deployment as well as the equipment deployment is calibrated in nature, we will make sure that any kind of misadventure by the adversary does not take place again".
He said that various channels of communication have been opened to avoid volatile situations on the LAC.
Efforts to check radicalization
Expressing concern over radicalization, he said that teenagers are being recruited increasingly and it is a matter of concern for all. "They are being educated to get rid of radicalization being infused in them by Pakistan. After the abrogation of article 370, there is a change," he said.
"Army is playing an important role in bringing this change", Dwivedi said that over 15,000 students in 48 goodwill schools are being taught how to build up a better future for themselves in their own country.
Asked about the probability of revocation of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in J-K, he said that AFSPA will automatically go the day there is no need for armed guards and paramilitary on roads.
