Srinagar:
Even as the Army is trying hard to check infiltration into North Kashmir, at least two to three attempts were made by terrorists from across the border in the recent past and more than a dozen militants are believed to have sneaked into the higher reaches of the Valley.
While some militants sneaked into the periphery of Srinagar city like Ganderbal, from where Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has been elected, a majority of them were holed up in higher reaches of Lolab and Bandipore in North Kashmir, sources in the state Home department said.
Recently three infiltration bids were made -- one each in Keran and Karnah in Kupwara sector and another in Gurez of Baramulla district. As many as three terrorists were killed by the Army, while about 12 are believed to have infiltrated into the valley, the sources said.
With the fresh infiltrations, the number of militants sneaking into the valley has crossed 225, the sources said. However, the Army maintained that only 56 militants tried to infiltrate out of which 29 were killed and three arrested.
Contrary to claims of the Army that the first infiltration bid was made on March 20 this year, sources in the central security agencies and state police claimed on the basis of technical and human intelligence that the first group of nine militants had entered through Leepa valley on March nine and ten.