COME summers and infiltration and violence graph shows upward trend in Jammu and Kashmir and proof to it is recent spurt in violence and increase in incursion attempts from across the Line of Control.
In the past 10 days, there have been at least six major incursion attempts from across the Line of Control, and the Indian army sources say that terrorists are taking to the ?not-so-common? routes.
Though, India has fenced a major part of odd 960-km border with Pakistan in Jammu and Kashmir, Indian army has discovered that terrorists have entered the Indian side by cutting the border fence.
In recent June 4 infiltration attempt from Kanga Gali, in Rajouri district, a ?not-so-common? route, five terrorists had managed to cross inside Indian territory by cutting the barbed iron fence, however they were killed in an ambush by Indian army troopers.
It is significant that spurt in infiltration has come at a time when the two-month-long annual Hindu pilgrimage?Amarnath Yatra?in the Himalayas is scheduled to start by end of this month.
All this is happening in spite of the state and centre-led Congress government'speace initiatives with Pakistan. Political analysts say that the violence is going to enhance in coming months in state because Musharraf is battling a tough fight on home ground so he would like to shift the focus from his people from domestic issues to other issues and would also like to keep the terrorist outfits happy.
An intelligence source said that there have been recent instructions to Pakistan army units on borders to allow people to enter the Indian side.
Army sources say that majority of the terrorists that have been crossing are foreigners in age group of 15-25 years.
In the past few years, during summers, the terrorists had been using traditional routes of Uri, Gurez and Kupwara in Kashmir region to cross over to this side, but since Indian troopers have successfully plugged in these areas, the terrorists have made a change in their strategy switching over to the not-so-common routes in Rajouri and Poonch.
In the first such case, on May 25, a group of terrorists chose the ?not-so-common route? of Chakla in Sunderbani tehsil of Rajouri for crossing over to Indian side.
A day later on May 26, terrorists made an incursion attempt through the Mankote area of Poonch district, which again is not their favourite route for infiltration.
The Rajouri and Poonch routes were favourite otherwise during winters and under a changed strategy, the terrorists are making entry from unconventional routes even in this sector, the army sources say.
Indian army spokesperson Colonel A.K Mathur says that it had registered an increase in terrorist activities along the heavily-militarised Line of Control and infiltration would increase further in the coming months. ?There has been no let-up in infiltration by terrorists into our side from across the Line of Control,? he said asserting that terrorist training camps are still intact across the border in Pakistan.
Last year from January to June, the number of infiltration attempts was 74, whereas the number of terrorists who actually crossed to this side was 35. However, this year, there have been 97 attempts, while 56 terrorists actually sneaked to this side.
Meanwhile, sources have said that there at least 50 guides in Kashmir who have been working on contracts with terrorist groups to help terrorists cross over to Indian side since they are familiar with the geography of the region. The police recently arrested two such guides who were using Bandipore, Gulmarg, Kupwara and Handwara routes in Kashmir region for helping terrorists. One such person, Ghulan Hassan Sofi told police that he had facilitated at least 110 crossings from across the border for hefty sums between Rs 30,000 and Rs 50,000. Army spokesperson Colonel Mathur admitted that army has substantial proofs that show that local guides help in infiltrations.
