Infiltration down 43% after Balakot strike

New Delhi : Security situation in Jammu and Kashmir has witnessed an improvement and the net infiltration from across the border has reduced by 43 per cent after a surgical strike was carried out on terror camps in Pakistan, Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai said in Lok Sabha on Tuesday.

Rai's remarks came in response to a written question on whether cross-border infiltration in Jammu and Kashmir has abated after the Indian Air Force carried out surgical strike on terror camps in Balakot in Pakistan in February this year.

"Due to concerted and synergised efforts of security forces, the security situation in the state has witnessed an improvement in the first half of this year over the corresponding period of 2018. Net infiltration has reduced by 43 per cent," he said.

The minister said the central government has adopted a policy of zero tolerance towards cross-border infiltration.

Rai said the government of India in tandem with the state government has adopted a multi-pronged approach to contain cross-border infiltration, which include multi-tiered deployment along the International Border and the Line of Control (LoC), border fencing, improved intelligence and operational coordination, equipping security forces with improved technological weapons and taking pro-active action against infiltrators.

Replying another question, the minister said the electric fence namely the Anti Infiltration Obstacle System (AIOS) on LoC along Indo-Pak border has proved to be a potent tool to guard against infiltration.

The electricity requirements for the AIOS are being catered through power grid wherever available and through generators at other locations to ensure uninterrupted power supply, he said.