J&K: Gagangir & Botapathri attacks reveal undetected infiltration across LoC

Investigation into the Gagangir and Botapathri terrorist attacks has revealed that undetected infiltration had been going on the Line of Control (LoC) in J&K for nearly one year, official sources said.

Seven people including six non-local workers and a local doctor were killed on October 20 when two terrorists attacked the workers camp of an infrastructure project company at Gagangir in Ganderbal district.

Sources said that the investigation into the Gagangir attack has indicated significant gaps in intelligence gathering and in the anti-infiltration apparatus.

“Investigation has revealed that one of the two terrorists involved in the Gagangir attack was a foreign terrorist, but the other is believed to be a local youth from Kulgam district who joined the terrorist ranks in 2023. The foreign terrorist is believed to have infiltrated from the other side of the LoC into the Valley in not very distant past,” sources said.

They added that the involvement of a local youth in such an attack is an indication that the “radicalisation” of Kashmir youth is somehow going on though as a highly secretive operation by the handlers of terrorists.

They said that while the local terrorist involved in the Gagangir attack was equipped with the AK-47 rifle, the foreign terrorist was using the US-made M-5 assault rifle.

“The local terrorist from Kulgam could have been involved in helping the infiltration of the foreign terrorist into the Valley through his outfit from Tulial sector of the LoC in Bandipora district,” sources added.

The mountain ridge of Tulial directly leads to the upper reaches of the mountains on the northern side of Gagangir.

“The foreign terrorist could have crossed the LoC in Tulial around March this year,” sources said.

They added that the terrorists who carried out the Botapathri attack in Gulmarg resulting in the death of three army soldiers and two civilian porters are believed to have remained holed up in Afarwat Hills atop Gulmarg since August this year.

“The revised strategy adopted by infiltrated terrorists is to lie low till their handlers from across the border order them to carry out some attack,” said sources.

Meanwhile, J&K L-G has said that the army, security forces and police have reviewed and redrawn their strategy that will completely dismantle the terror infrastructure.