LeT preparing for major infiltration attempt: Intel

NEWDELHI: At a time of heightened tensions and repeated ceasefire violations between India and Pakistan across the Line of Control (LoC), intelligence agencies in Jammu & Kashmir have alerted state and Central authorities about militants from the Laskhar-e-Taiba (LeT) preparing to launch a massive infiltration bid, people familiar with the matter said on Wednesday.

The intelligence input specifically mentions the Nangi Tekri area in Krishna Ghati sector in J&K’s Poonch district, one of the regions where Pakistani shelling has gone up recently.

Official documents, seen by HT, reveal the alert was issued by state intelligence units last week, asking concerned authorities — the J&K police, the Border Security Force (BSF) and the Indian Army — to take precautions against improvised explosive devices (IEDs) that could be used against Indian security posts.

The documents say the LeT is in the process of infiltrating 45 fighters into the Kashmir Valley to “enhance its visibility by carrying out multiple attacks”.

It asks security agencies to take appropriate actions to “track/neutralise LeT operatives”. “Intelligence input received from sister agencies reveals that LeT has been conducting reconnaissance in the vicinity of Nangi Tekri and Krishna Ghat. The input indicates that this reconnaissance is aimed at conducting IED/BAT action on Indian security posts/ambush parties,” says a circular issued by the state intelligence. BAT is an acronym for the Border Action Team of the Pakistani army. Indian security agencies have said in the past that the BAT is often accompanied by militants based in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

A senior J&K police official, who asked not to be named, said that the area mentioned in the intelligence note falls under the command of the army’s 10th Indian Infantry Brigade, and that the input has been shared with the army and the BSF.

“We kill one of their intruders and they attack our posts. We retaliate and then again hold our posts waiting for their action. This has become a cycle. Most ceasefire violations previously were done to aid terrorists but this time it seems they also want to inflict maximum damage on our posts as part of their idea of revenge ,” said a senior BSF officer, who asked not to be named.