india

Updated: Aug 02, 2019 19:39 IST

Indian security forces operating in Jammu and Kashmir have foiled Pakistan army’s attempts to attack the Amarnath Yatra by recovering a a mine bearing mark of a Pakistan ordnance factory from one of the two routes leading to the famous Hindu shrine located in the J&K hills.

The direct “proof” of Pakistan army’s role was shown to the media in a joint press conference by the security forces command in Srinagar on Thursday.

General Officer Commanding (GOC) of Srinagar-based 15 Corps, Lieutenant General Kanwal Jeet Singh Dhillon showed pictures of the mine bearing Pakistan’s ordnance factory’s stamp and said, it laid to rest any doubts about Islamabad’s direct role in attempts to destabilise J&K.

Security forces had also recovered a cache of arms including an American sniper rifle M-24 and IEDs apart from the mine during a three-day intensive search operation conducted to sanitize the Amarnath yatra routes. Security forces had acted on specific intelligence of Pakistani army looking to target the yatra.

Further updating on the action being taken by the security forces against the continued threat of infiltration, Lieutenant General Dhillon said, “Infiltration attempts along LoC are regularly taking place and are being thwarted,” the situation was “under control” and largely “peaceful”, he added.

“On 30th July, Pakistan army indulged in unprovoked firing and it was responded to in befitting manner, they became quiet thereafter,” he said.

15 Corps commander Dhillon said that the security forces had considerable success against the militant groups operating in J&K recently and most of the top leadership of Jaish-e-Mohammaed, Lashkar-e-Taiba , Hizbul Mujahideen had been eliminated in the operations in last three months.

The 15 Corps commander said that IED threats had increased in the last year with several attempts made to blow up security forces vehicles or installations. “There was a failed IED attempt in Banihal in June and on August 2, one of the army vehicles was targeted.” Said Lieutenant General Dhillon adding that one IED expert Munna Lahori was killed by security forces last week.

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