When the government is celebrating re-opening of roads between the divided parts of Jammu and Kashmir, terrorists? mentors across the border are equipping jehadi outfits with modern weaponry and hi-tech gadgets to further intensify the bloodshed in the State. Recovery of a Palmtop along with arms haul from Balakot area in Mendhar sector of border district Poonch has put the defence authorities in a tizzy and sounded the alarm bells over the destructive designs of terrorists? outfits operating in J&K on the instance of Pakistan. Palmtop is a mini computer, which looks like a calculator, used for data storage, direction finding and also for Internet by connecting the gadget with a satellite phone. One satellite phone of Thuraya make, one telephone charger and four USBs were also recovered along with the Palmtop that was connected with a keyboard of English and Urdu. Since the inspection of ongoing militancy in J&K, this was for the first time that a Palmtop has been recovered by the security forces. Besides, three AK-47 rifles with five magazines and 130 round, three Chinese pistols with six magazines and 210 rounds, 30 Chinese grenades, five Pak made anti-personnel mines, 18 electronic detonators, five Improvise Explosive Devices (IEDs) with eight igniting switches and five time-delay devices, 11 radio sets (five Alinco and six H-112 with 35 antennas and seven adopters) were also found from the spot near Post number 638 in Balakot sector. The recovery was made after exchange of firing between the security forces and a group of infiltrators during the intervening night of June 22-23. In another arms haul the security forces, at Keliban in Potha area of Surankot tehsil in Poonch, recovered seven AK-47, two Pika guns, one pistol, 22 AK magazines, 543 AK round and 315 Pika rounds. Very recently, security forces had thwarted a major intrusion bid in Balnoi area of Mendhar sector in which six Pakistani infiltrators were forced to flee back leaving their arms and ammunition on the spot. According to a Defence spokesman, more than 200 foreign terrorists are feared to have sneaked into Indian territory this year from across the border despite high alert by the security forces, which have thwarted a number of intrusion bids. Last year, the number of armed infiltrators during the corresponding period, was far less. Highly concerned over the increasing number of intrusion bids by armed terrorists during the past days, the defence authorities are going to chalk out a more comprehensive strategy against cross border terrorism in the State which has witnessed an unprecedented spurt in violence during the last one and half months. A high level meeting in this regard was convened by the Chief of Army Staff General J.J. Singh in which Union Home Secretary Vinod Kumar Duggal and heads of para military forces participated. The meet discussed the prevailing security scenario in the State, particularly in Kashmir Valley and border district Poonch where the infiltration attempts have taken place. This was the third high-level meeting of the defence authorities on J&K during the last fortnight. Intrusion bids and recoveries of huge quantities of arms and high-tech gadgets from terrorists have come close on the heels of opening of trans-border Poonch-Rawlakot road. Further, when security forces were exchanging fire with armed infiltrators, the Union Home Secretary V.K. Duggal was reiterating the commitment to continue dialogue process as well as Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) with Pakistan. Not only the organisations like Bharatiya Janata Party but the other parties also, which prefer Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) with Pakistan over a pro-active policy against terrorism, have started expressing reservations over the priorities of Government in connection with peace efforts. ?First of all Government should restore normalcy in the State and then think about re-opening of the trans-border roads,?? opined Dr Nirmal Singh, State President BJP. Similar were the views of other organisations that extended support to the CBMs like opening of trans-border roads but at the same time reminded Government to take all possible measures against ongoing terrorism in J&K. Analysts also feared that if the situation is not controlled timely, the state of affairs in Poonch may go out of control and a Kargil-like situation can emerge there, which would ultimately bring India and Pakistan at war.
