Akhnoor border:
The Border Security Force (BSF) has foiled an infiltration bid in the Akhnoor Sector, 30 kilometers from Jammu - an infiltration bid at the crack of dawn on Republic Day.
A group of heavily armed militants struck at the Alfa Machal post of the BSF, then they spread to other areas also, in fact, targeted four BSF posts. They fired with small arms and also Rocket Propelled Grenades (RPG). The tail piece of one of the RPGs' fired by the militants, landed in a BSF bunker, but luckily there were no causalities.
The BSF retaliated and the militants were forced to flee back into Pakistani territory.
But while the state grapples with a new upsurge in violence, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah for the first time, reached out to militants, urging them to give up violence and come to the dialogue table to resolve issues amicably.
Omar says his government will act as a facilitator in the dialogue process between all groups of opinion in the state and the Centre, besides working for restoration of Indo-Pak composite talks.
The CM's offer of dialogue comes even while the state fights renewed militancy.
"There were threats and still are, but we have to work, militancy has not ended," said Kuldeep Khuda, D G Police.
So, can a renewed effort at peace work? No one is sure.