Infiltration bid by 8 terror groups

A Home Ministry official said terrorists were waiting in eight locations along the International Border and the LoC to sneak into India.

Indian Border Security Force (BSF) soldiers are seen at the international border with Pakistan in Samba sector, Jammu, India, Friday, May 16, 2008. Officials said on Friday that additional companies of BSF will be deployed on the 187 kilometer (116 miles) long international border in Jammu sector in order to check infiltration from across the border. (AP Photo/Channi Anand)

Intelligence reports have indicated that at least eight groups of terror suspects have been attempting to infiltrate into Indian territory along the International Border, under the cover of firing by Pakistan Rangers.

“There are strong reasons to believe that higher­ups in the Pak Army are aware of their presence along the border and that the terrorists are making attempts to carry out spectacular attacks ahead of U.S. President Barack Obama's visit,” said a senior MHA official.

The official said reports suggested that suspected terrorists have been camping at eight places along the border, the largest group consisting of about 40­45 persons, particularly in the Arnia and Samba sectors of Jammu.

Earlier, at a press conference on Friday, asked whether the recent ceasefire violations by Pakistan were to do with infiltration bid by terrorists, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said there was no doubt about it.

Stating that the Border Security Force (BSF) personnel had been giving a fitting reply to the firing from the other side, Mr. Singh said it was Pakistan that had started the firing.

On Thursday, Pakistan Rangers had targeted 13 border outposts in the Samba sector of Jammu, after at least four Pakistani rangers were killed in the retaliatory firing. A BSF jawan was earlier killed in the firing from across the border.