PULL OUT FROM LoC ALONG PAKISTAN BORDER

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RAJYA SABHA

The strategic redeployment of our Armed Forces has no direct bearing on cross border infiltration into Jammu & Kashmir. The decision on strategic redeployment of the Armed Forces does not envisage any lowering of the vigil on the Line of Control (LoC) and of Counter Insurgency Grid in Jammu & Kashmir.

There have been 24 encounters on the LoC with infiltration terrorist groups, from Oct 21, 2002 to Mar 06, 2003 in which 86 terrorists were killed. In this process four army personnel were killed and 14 wounded. As regards the number of terrorist attacks on Army posts in hinterland during the same period there have been 21 such incidents in which one Army personnel was killed and 21 wounded. Four terrorists were also killed in these incidents.

Adequate military measures have been taken to intercept and eliminate terrorist group attempting to infiltrate into J&K. The counter measures include surveillance of all known routes of infiltration. The counter infiltration posture is constantly being reviewed base on intelligence inputs and is paying good dividends by way of attrition caused on the terrorists.

This information was given by the Defence Minister Shri George Fernandes in a written reply to Shri Rajkumar Dhoot in Rajya Sabha today.