40 days on since 370 gone: How security agencies have foiled Pak ploys

New Delhi, Sep 16: There has been unprovoked aggression by Pakistan. Terrorists have been issuing warnings galore and intelligence agencies have been warning about heightened terrorist activity in Jammu and Kashmir.

It has been 40 days since the abrogation of Article 370 and the security agencies have been kept busy after restrictions were imposed. There is around 28,000 additional personnel of the central paramilitary forces in J&K.

The challenge each day is to ensure that nothing untoward takes place and peace is maintained. However, the bigger challenge for both the security forces and authorities is to ensure that normalcy and peace return so that the restrictions can be completely lifted.

While restrictions have been eased in many parts, certain areas, especially in South Kashmir, still remain a concern. Over the years one has been a major concentration of terrorists in South Kashmir and hence lifting restrictions there completely is not being advised as of now.

It has, however, been a busy 40 days for the security agencies. The Pakistan Army has restored to more than 2,000 unprovoked ceasefire violations this year alone.

"We have highlighted our concerns at unprovoked ceasefire violations by Pakistan forces, including in support of cross border terrorist infiltration, and targeting of Indian civilians and border posts by them," Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said.

"This year they have resorted to more than 2,050 unprovoked ceasefire violations in which 21 Indians died," he also said. Data available suggests that since the abrogation of Article 370 there have been 222 ceasefire violations. These violations are mainly aimed at going to cover fire to terrorists.

Meanwhile, a major terror attack was foiled when the security agencies intercepted a truck and recovered arms and ammunition that included 6 assault rifles, 180 bullets and six magazines. The truck was on its way to Kashmir from Pathankot when it was intercepted. It was also found that this was a module of the Jaish-e-Mohammad, which had planned this major attack in the Valley.

One of the major challenges for the security forces on a day to day basis is to keep the protests down.

Kashmir has been notorious for stone-pelting and to ensure that such incidents do not take place regularly, the security agencies have been on their toes. According to the J&K administration, there have been 5 civilian deaths that have taken place either in terror attacks or incidents of stone-pelting.

It may be recalled that in August two nomads the Bakarwal community were abducted and killed by terrorists. On August 25, a 42-year-old lorry driver was killed in stone-pelting. On August 29, terrorists killed a shopkeeper in Srinagar and on August 6 one person succumbed to injuries in hospital after being injured in stone-pelting.

Terrorists also struck at Sopore, in which four members of a family including a minor girl were injured.