300 terrorists active in J&K: Army commander

Around 160 terrorists are present across the Line of Control.

Around 300 terrorists are present in Jammu and Kashmir, while 160 others are waiting on the launch pads for an opportunity to sneak into this side from across the Line of Control (LoC) in Pakistan, a top army commander said on Tuesday.

However, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Northern Command, Lieutenant General Upendra Dwivedi said the security situation in the Union territory has undergone a major change after the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019 and terrorist activities have been controlled to a large extent.

"Around 300 terrorists are present in length and breadth of Jammu and Kashmir but we are making sure they are not able to carry out any action," the army commander told reporters on the sidelines of platinum jubilee of historic 'Poonch Link-up Day' here.

The platinum jubilee of Poonch Link-Up Day, marking the 'Operation Easy' conducted by Indian Army in 1948 to defend the border district from the Pakistani raiders, was celebrated with traditional gaiety and fervour by the people of Poonch and the Army.

Asked about the number of terrorists present on the launch pads in Pakistan, Lt Gen Dwivedi said around 160 terrorists are present across the Line of Control – 130 in north of Pir Panchal (Kashmir valley) and 30 in south of Pir Panchal.

"As per our data, 82 Pakistani terrorists and 53 local terrorists are active in the hinterland, while the area of the concern is the criminal activities of 170 others who are not identified," he said.

Reacting to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh's recent statement hinting at retrieving Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), Lt. Gen. Dwivedi said a parliamentary resolution exists on the subject, therefore it is nothing new.