The country’s coastal security set-up is on high alert due to perceived terrorist threats, said the Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice-Admiral M.S. Pawar, on Saturday when asked about reports of a possible terror threat from the sea by Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) following the development in Jammu and Kashmir.
“We will deter them, prevent them and defeat them... It is very well known that ‘ samudri jihad’ is being practised by Pakistan-based terrorist groups. There is a threat and we are vigilant. We keep our eyes and ears open. We have a coastal security mechanism to prevent that,” the Vice-Admiral said.
He was speaking to the media on the sidelines of the Global Policy Dialogue organised by the Centre for Joint Warfare Studies with other partners.
Infiltration worries
Army sources had already said that they expected infiltration and ceasefire violations to go up along the Line of Control (LoC) in the coming days following the reorganisation of Jammu and Kashmir. An Army source had stated that the Pakistan Army had to do something to show solidarity with the people of Kashmir and so they would “do some action on the LoC”.
Flood rescue
On the Navy’s flood relief efforts in Maharashtra, the Vice-Admiral said rescue efforts in Kolhapur had been hampered by incessant rain and the Navy teams had now reached the area via Pune by road and were then airlifted to Kolhapur. Diving teams were airborne in helicopters at least three times but had to come back due to the rain. “Another 15 teams are on their way from Visakhapatnam to Kolhapur and would be airlifted,” he said.
