Recent terrorist attacks abetted by the Pakistani Army have led to a surge in military casualties in Jammu and Kashmir. In the latest terror attack on Saturday, Rifleman Mohit Rathour was killed, and a Major along with three soldiers were wounded in an unprovoked attack by Pakistan’s Border Action Team (BAT) on an Indian forward post in the Machhal sector of north Kashmir’s Kupwara. In response, a Pakistani intruder was also neutralised when a group of terrorists attempted to breach the Line of Control (LoC). It is clear that BAT, composed of Pakistani military and terrorists, frequently provides cover fire for intruders attempting to cross the heavily guarded LoC, according to Indian Army sources.
This recent attack brings the total number of army casualties in terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir to 12 this month. On July 24, Naik Dilwar Khan was killed in a gunfight with suspected Pakistani terrorists near the LoC in Kupwara. It follows the loss of Lance Naik Subhash Chander on July 23 during an operation in Poonch from the 7 Jat Regiment in the Krishna Ghati belt area. Prior to that, on July 15, a Captain and three soldiers from the 10 Rashtriya Rifles were killed in a shootout in Doda district. On July 8, five soldiers from the 22 Garhwal Rifles lost their lives in an ambush in Kathua district’s Machedi forest.
Increased Deployment
Security in the Jammu area has become a major concern due to several terrorist attacks in Rajouri, Poonch, Reasi, Udhampur, Kathua, and Doda districts this year. These attacks resulted in the deaths of 22 people, including 11 security personnel and a village defence guard member. Some notable incidents include attacks between June 9 and 12 that resulted in the deaths of seven pilgrims, a bus driver, and a CRPF constable. The attacks this summer have mainly occurred south of the Pir Panjal mountains, which separate Jammu from the Kashmir valley. Since October 2021, at least 50 security personnel, including 40 Army members and one from the IAF, have been killed in terrorist-related incidents in Jammu.
In response to the increased terror attacks, especially in the Jammu region, security in Jammu and Kashmir has been heightened. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has taken action by deploying two BSF battalions to Jammu, which consist of over 2,000 personnel currently involved in anti-Maoist operations. Officers in the security establishment revealed that these two units were intended to be deployed as the second line of defence behind the first tier of units already stationed along the international border (IB) in the Jammu area. This deployment aims to prevent infiltration of terrorists from across the frontier and to counter attacks by these elements in the hinterland.
Indian Army Rushes More Troops
The Army also is bolstering its troop strength in the Jammu region to tackle the threat of terrorists active in the area to address the ongoing threat from terrorism. The increased violence and frequent encounters underscore the ongoing challenges faced by security forces in maintaining stability in the region.
Ravi Shankar
