Snowfall blocks most of infiltration routes on LoC

With snowfall bringing lots of miseries to the resident across Kashmir valley, it has also blocked most of infiltration routes on Line of Control (LoC).However, the army says that they are ready to face any eventuality and guard has not been lowered.General Officer Commanding (GOC) 15 Corps Lt Gen S A Hasnain has time and again said that there are apprehensions of infiltration any time as a vacuum has got created due to killing many a militants and their top militant leadership during the 2011 in valley.Army last year was apprehending infiltration from those routes which traditionally receive less snowfall.

 That included Uri sector in north Kashmir district of Baramulla, that SECTOR receives less snowfall than passes in Kupwara, Machil,Gurez and other sectors. “Snow has closed some of the routes,”Public Relations Officer ministry of defence Lt Col JS Barar told News Agency. “The alert troops are ready to meet an eventuality,” he added. However, the senior army officers supervising the LoC in Kupwara and Baramulla said there is beefed up vigil despiteclosing of infiltration routes. Major General Bipin Rawat, General Officer Commanding (GOC) Baramulla based 19 Infantry Davison who looks after LoC in Uri and Nowgam Sectors besides hinter land said that snow has blocked some of the routes in Uri Sector and Nowgam Sector. “Yes some of the routes have got closed due to snowfall, but the guard will not be lowered,” he said and added that now It is very difficult to infiltrate. “Walking on the snow takes more time and when there is heavy snow it is also easy to detect trail of any one on the snow.”Army sources in Kupwara based 28 Infantry Division too said that most of the infiltration routes have got closed due to snowfall however there is need of extra vigil on loC.Here it needs a mention that Corps commander Lt Gen Hasnain during an Awami Mulaqat at Uri had told the reporters that army will not lower their guard even when the infiltration routes are closed due to heavy s