New Delhi:

About 60 per cent of terrorists killed in Jammu and Kashmir last year were of Pakistani origin, Army Chief Gen Upendra Dwivedi said today as he briefed media on the situation at the Line of Control (LoC). He also said about 80 per cent of terrorists who remain in J&K are Pakistanis.

“The situation (in Jammu and Kashmir) is firmly under control. On the Line of Control, the ceasefire which has been effective since February 2021 is holding on. However, terror infrastructure across remains intact,” Gen Dwivedi, who has vast operational experience along the frontiers with Pakistan and China, told reporters.

Gen Dwivedi said the infiltration attempts are also continuing, including from the International Border (IB) sector, along with drone attempts to smuggle warlike stores and narcotics.

He also said terrorist activities have increased in North Kashmir and the Doda-Kishtwar belt in recent months, but assured the overall violence parameters are “under control”.

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“We witnessed more than five lakh pilgrims during Amarnath Yatra this time and the peaceful conduct of elections (Lok Sabha and Assembly) are indicators of a positive change. The theme of terrorism to tourism is gradually taking shape,” Gen Dwivedi, who assumed charge as the 30th Chief of the Army Staff in June last year, said.

Army Chief On LAC Situation

The overall situation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) is “stable” but “sensitive”, Gen Dwivedi said, weeks after Indian and Chinese militaries disengaged from the last two friction points in eastern Ladakh.

“Patrolling and grazing in traditional areas has started in Depsang and Demchok in eastern Ladakh,” he said.

He also said the Army is focusing on boosting border infrastructure and capability development.

“Our deployment is balanced and robust; we are capable of handling any situation,” he said.

India and China are restoring bilateral ties frozen for over four years due to the military standoff in Ladakh’s Galwan.

Bhuj:

A 36-year-old man from Jammu and Kashmir was detained by police after he arrived in Khavda village in Gujarat’s Kutch district, intending to cross the border into Pakistan to meet a woman he connected with online, officials said on Wednesday.

Imtiyaz Sheikh, a resident of Bandipora district, travelled to Kutch with the hope of meeting a Pakistani social media influencer from Multan. Believing he could legally enter Pakistan via the Kutch border, Sheikh sought assistance from local residents to gain permission from authorities.

“Sheikh reached Khavda hoping to cross the border and enter Pakistan to meet a woman he met online. He was under the impression that he could cross into Pakistan from this border. We detained him after he reached Khavda on Tuesday,” said Kutch (west) Superintendent of Police Sagar Bagmar.

After conducting a preliminary investigation and verifying facts with Sheikh’s family and local police in Jammu and Kashmir, authorities determined that there was no threat and released him later that evening.

Mr Bagmar said Sheikh appeared to be mentally unfit.

Inspector MB Chauhan said Sheikh’s misguided attempt stemmed from his search for a simpler route to meet the influencer, as travelling from Kashmir was not feasible.

“Sheikh was attracted towards a Pakistani social media influencer from Multan city and decided to meet her. He used Google Maps and concluded that Kutch was his best option,” Mr Chauhan added.

He sought help from villagers to secure permission from authorities to legally enter Pakistan. “We brought him to the police station after being alerted by villagers,” said Mr Chauhan. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

In a gesture of goodwill, the Border Security Force (BSF) handed over a man from Pakistan to their soldiers, who had inadvertently crossed over to the Indian side of the international Border in Punjab.

Yesterday, BSF troops apprehended the man ahead of the fence in the Tarn Taran district.

Upon questioning, it was revealed that he was unaware of the border’s alignment and had unintentionally crossed into Indian territory. Nothing objectionable was found in his possession during the search.

A flag meeting was conducted to express concerns over the failure of Pakistan Rangers to restrict the movement of Pakistani nationals. The individual was handed over to Pakistan Rangers on humanitarian grounds and as a goodwill gesture.

The BSF is tasked to secure the borders from Gujarat in the west to Assam in the east, acting as India’s first line of defence. 

Last week, the Border Security Force along with the Punjab Police recovered two drones from different locations in the border area of Amritsar, officials said. The recovered drones were identified as China-made DJI Mavic 3 Classic. Earlier on April 20, the BSF recovered a drone carrying three packets of suspected heroin from the border area of Ferozepur.

A Pakistani national was apprehended after he crossed the International Border and entered Indian territory in the area falling near village Gajni Wala in Punjab, a Border Security Force official said on Sunday.

The apprehended Pakistani national had crossed over to the Indian territory inadvertently and nothing objectionable was recovered from him, the official said.

The BSF personnel approached the Pakistan Rangers and lodged a strong protest in his regard.

The apprehended Pakistan national was later handed over to the Pakistan Rangers on humanitarian grounds, said the official.