‘Illegal funds being sent to Kashmir to incite protests’

NEW DELHI: Illegal funds are being sent through ‘hawala’ and other channels to inimical forces in Kashmir Valley to incite protests, Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju said today.

Replying to a written question in the Rajya Sabha, Rijiju said the practice of sending illegal money through ‘hawala’ and other channels to inimical elements in the Valley to incite protests have been going on.

Rijiju’s colleague, Minister of State for Home Hansraj Ahir said separatists and militants were receiving funds from foreign countries through ‘hawala’ and inward remittances.

Referring to the tension along the Indo-pak border, Rijiju said 24 suspected mili- tants, who were trying to infiltrate into Jammu and Kashmir, were killed, while 78 attempts of infiltrations were foiled till October-end this year.

Till October this year, there were 201 incidents of infiltration from across the border into Jammu and Kashmir and 30 cases of infiltration into Punjab.

He said five BSF personnel killed were and nine others injured due to cross-border firing between September and October this year.

Replying to another question, Ahir said there was no information about espionage being carried out by Pakistan using pigeons. However, some pigeons with rubber tag with Pakistani telephone no/name of persons have been found in border areas, he said.