Militants using fake army I-cards in Kashmir: Army

Jammu, Feb 16: The army has busted some rackets procuring ''fake identity cards and mobile SIM cards'' for militants on the names of army personnel, a spokesman said today.

''There are some rackets running in Kashmir, who are providing mobile SIM cards to the militants on the name of army officials, who even don't exist,'' army spokesman Lt Col A K Mathur told sources.

Not only the sim cards but ''some rackets'' are also providing fake identity cards on the names of army officials to the militants, posing a great threat to national security, he said.

The spokesman blamed the moblie operators for not verifying the authenticity of card holders from the concerned issuing authority before providing connections.

''A run for selling more (SIM) cards may cost the security dear,'' he said as he appealed the distributors to duly confirm from authorities before allotting any new mobile number.

At least 66 pre-paid SIM cards of telecom major Airtel were reportedly issued to militants on the basis of fake documents of army officials procured by over ground workers (OGWs) of insurgents in the valley.

The number of ''such fake cases'' could go up as investigations were at preliminary stage, sources said.

However, the intelligence sources, who had seized many fictitious forms, said the sims issued on fake documents had landed into the hands of top commanders of various militant outfits operating in the state.

UNI