LOC15:29
12:29 GMT
NEW DELHI, Aug 8 (KUNA) -- In the wake of several incidents in the recent
past whereby Indian Army foiled attempts by militants to sneak into the
country from across the Line of Control (LoC) -- international border between
India and Pakistan-- India's Defence Minister A.K. Antony on Saturday said
that the "increase in infiltration" was a "matter of concern for India".
Antony said this in New Delhi on the sidelines of a function to inaugurate
the Armed Forces Tribunal, the first such tribunal giving security personnel
the right to appeal against orders by court-martial against them.
Only on August 2, nine militants were killed in five different encounters
along the Line of Control.
Reacting to such infiltration bids, Antony said: "Militancy in Jammu and
Kashmir has come down substantially but in the last one month, suddenly a
tendency of increase in infiltration is there... normally in Jammu and
Kashmir, on the onset of winter, there is some rise in infiltration, which is
a matter of concern for us."
He further stated that proper vigilance is required at the Indo-Pak border
to evade infiltration from across the Border.
"We can't have complacency in Jammu and Kashmir. Eternal vigilance is
needed and we can't take any decision regarding the state in a hasty manner,"
he added.
On the occasion, the Indian Defence Minister also congratulated the
countrys security forces for the peaceful conduct of the Amarnath Yatra (an
annual pilgrimage by the Hindus that criss crosses the state of Jammu and
Kashmir), Antony said, "the militants and terrorists are very upset about the
successful conduct of yatra without any incidents." (end)
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KUNA 081529 Aug 09NNNN