Alert on Himachal borders after terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir - Shimla Now

Soon after the incident of terror attacks in which four police cops and three army men were killed, the borders of the Himachal Pradesh adjoining with Punjab have been sealed with three tire security and round the clock patrolling and check posts  at entry points to the state. reason being that Hiranagar police station and military base in Samba of J&K are in the radius of 30 to 50 KMs from Himachal borders.

Security agencies here have maintained that as the terror attacks in Kathua (J&K) were planned and been done after proper reiki of the area, there might be a group behind them staying there which would be finding a safe hiding place now and Himachal is the nearest place for them.

“If they have attacked police and army posts so openly then it is sure that they were living in the area from last some days. It is possible that there might be a group behind those militants who had also arranged their exit after attacking posts. But as attackers have been shot down their allies would now find a safe hidings and Himachal is the nearest, therefore this step has been taken” said a source.

When contacted, the Assistant Superintendent of Police Mohit Chawla from headquarters here told that directions have been issued to seal the entry and exit points to the state and the patrolling has been increased in the villages adjoining with the state of Punjab.

“Taking an immediate action after the terror attacks in Jammu the security has been increased on the borders while check posts have been installed at various places” he said.

However, security agencies are also of the view that possibility of terrorists sneaking into Chamba borders cannot be ruled out from the Chamba borders which is stretched for about 214 km, touching the districts of Doda, Kishtwar and Kathua of J&K and Punjab.

It is to be recalled that first major terrorist incident on Chamba borders took place on August 2, 1998, in which 35 civilians were massacred and six persons were taken away as hostages who are still untraceable.

However, earlier also in 1993 firing incident of militants with HP police at village Jallari, incident of extortion by militants at village Banoori, in 1993, similarly incident of extortion and threatening in the same year and the movement of 30 armed militants in Mansa Dhar sector forcibly taking away sheep of shepherds and gujjars. In the same year, encounter between the Himachal Pradesh police and the militants who were more than five near Khundimural in which a militant was killed.

Also there was an incident of killing of three gaddis in 1998 at Sappacholu in Kihar sector and two jawans of Himachal Armed Police (HAP) in an ambush as targeted by militants in 2003, the incident of Rohni Dhar in 2005 in which two persons were found killed with bullets in Tissa sector, are the major militant incidents on record during the past few years in Chamba district.