AN OPERATION to look for a group of militants who are believed to have infiltrated into Kashmir from across the border entered the third day in Uri on Tuesday. While some of the men are suspected to have turned back following exchange of gunfire, which left a soldier injured, a few could have got in, marking only the second successful infiltration attempt since India and Pakistan reached a ceasefire on February 25, as per the Army.
The infiltration attempt, launched late on Saturday night, coincided with the fifth anniversary of a suicide attack on the Army's brigade headquarters in Uri in north Kashmir. It is also the first since the Taliban rode to power in Afghanistan, triggering apprehensions of a fallout in the Valley.
Mobile and Internet communications were shut in the border area of Uri, before being resumed Tuesday night, and the forces as well as residents have been put on alert to watch out for any suspicious movement. Sources said the troops have not had any contact with the men since that initial exchange. “Search operations are still on,” Defence spokesperson Emron Musavi said.
On Monday, the General Officer Commanding of Srinagar-based 15 Corps, Lt Gen D P Pandey, had spoken of the ongoing Uri operation while saying there had been no violation or instigation from the Pakistan side since the February ceasefire. The top-most Army officer in the Valley had also said that while there had been infiltration attempts which had not been successful, there had…
