Punitive fire assault on Pakistani posts to thwart infiltration bid: Indian Army

New Delhi: Punitive fire assaults are being undertaken across the line of control to thwart infiltration bid from Pakistan, said the Indian Army in a briefing on Tuesday. "Recent actions in Naushera have caused damage to Pakistan army posts," Major General Ashok Narula, head of army’s public information wing, informed media persons. “Pakistan Army has been providing support to armed infiltrators,” he said. Maj. Gen. Narula also said that Rocket Launchers (RL), Anti Tank Guided Missiles (ATGM), Automated Grenade Launchers (AGL) and recoilless guns were used to conduct the operation. He said the Indian Army was aware that infiltration attempts from across the border would increase as snow has started melting - which would open up the traditional routes of militant incursion. Narula said "as part of army's counter-terrorism strategy it is proactively dominating the LoC and we want peace and tranquillity in Jammu & Kashmir." A 24-second video of destroying a Pakistani post in a forested area by Indian army artillery was also released. The video showed blowing up of at least 4-5 bunkers was of reportedly May 9-10. This is eight days after the killing and mutilation of bodies of two soldiers in the Krishna Ghati sector of the Poonch district. Earlier during the day, Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kashmir, Munir Khan said about 90 militants were active in north Kashmir and stressed that the army was ready to face the challenge of infiltration along the Line of Control (LoC). "We have reports that there are attempts of infiltration, but we have no reports that there is enhanced infiltration," Khan told reporters at Sopore, 52 km from Srinagar said. FULL STATEMENT OF INDIAN ARMY ON CONDUCTING PUNITIVE ASSAULTS Infiltrations are likely to increase with melting of snow and opening of passes. Operations like Naugam where four terrorists were neutralized on 20-21 May 17 are the instances. This calls for more pro-active counter-terrorism operations. We want peace and tranquility in the state of J&K. For this purpose it is essential that the infiltrations along Line of Control are controlled, which is essential to curbing down the numbers of terrorists in J&K so that youths of J&K are not adversely influenced by terrorists from across. A recent action by our troops in the Naushera Sector has caused some damage to the Pakistan Army posts, which are supporting infiltrations. This is part of our overall strategy to counter terrorism. As part our counter-terrorism operations, punitive fire assaults across line of control are being undertaken by the Indian Army. Pak Army has been providing support to armed infiltrators by engaging our forward troops from their weapon emplacements and pill-boxes closer to the Line of Control. At times they have not even hesitated to target villages in the proximity of LOC. As part of our counter-terrorism strategy and to ensure that infiltration is curbed and initiative remains with us, the Indian Army proactively dominates LoC, while doing so locations aiding infiltration of terrorists are being targeted and destroyed to deny advantage to terrorists thus curbing infiltration attempts.