India’s new headache: Coronavirus positive terrorists from Pakistan

New Delhi, Apr 23: Last week there were reports that Pakistan is using the coronavirus situation to send in as many terrorists into India.

The latest revelation is that Pakistan will use terrorists who have tested positive for coronavirus into India. This was stated by Jammu and Kashmir, DGP, Dilbag Singh. He also said that Pakistan will make attempt to send terrorists who have tested positive for coronavirus into the Valley and infect others.

The Indian agencies have time and again warned that Pakistan will continue to use this difficult situation to send in its terrorists. If the statements by Singh are to go by then the security agencies are in for a bigger headache. Handling terror would not limited just to apprehending him or gunning him down, but the additional headache of testing and taking all other precautions too would be there, an Intelligence Bureau official told OneIndia.

Despite the virus spreading like wildfire, Pakistan has lined up scores of terrorists and is looking to push them into India. Terror activity in Pakistan continues unabated, the officer also said.

They are looking to take advantage of the situation and send in as many terrorists as possible into Jammu and Kashmir, the officer also said. Terrorists of both the Lashkar-e-Tayiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad have been sent closer to the border and Pakistan has been looking for an opportunity to send them into India. The IB picked up intercepts that suggested that Pakistan has activated its launch pads along the Line of Control and the International Border.

The officer cited above said that Pakistan is taking advantage of the situation, while the security forces are busy with helping the administration fight against the coronavirus outbreak. The officer said that the launchpads have at least 200 terrorists waiting to infiltrate. Pakistan also resorts to ceasefire violations even in today's situation so that they can provide cover fire to the terrorists.

There has been a huge mobilisation that has been taking place since February. These terrorists numbering around 200 came in batches. Today, they are looking to take advantage of the situation and infiltrate to the LoC and International Border.

The recent operation in the Keran sector showed that Pakistan continued with its terror activities. Five terrorists were killed in the operation, while, five elite commandoes too were martyred.

Pakistan has been losing terrorists by the dozen in the various encounters in the Valley.

They have lost a good number of overground workers and terrorists. Most of the top commanders have been wiped out and Home Ministry data for January-February show that 24 terrorists were killed while 48 were arrested. This explains the desperation, the IB officer says.

Meanwhile, in a positive development, Pulwama became the first coronavirus free district in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.