Author: Mohit Kandhari
Publication: The Pioneer
Date: July 7, 2006
Following detention of three jawans of Jammu
and Kashmir Light Infantry (JAKLI) for their suspected links with field commanders
of Lashkar-e-Tayyeba in Jammu and Kashmir, security forces have been asked
to launch intensive screening of jawans hailing from border districts of Poonch
and Rajouri to weed out those involved in militant activities in the region.
Meanwhile, after nabbing two jawans of JAKLI,
Lance Naik Mohd Shakeel and Sepoy Abdul Haq for their suspected links with
LeT commanders in Mendhar, security forces on Wednesday detained another jawan
of 4 JAKLI, Havaldar Mohd Sharief from near Pahalgam in Anantnag district
for his suspected links with LeT commanders in Kashmir.
Mohd Sharief was presently posted in 3 RR
in Anantnag. Both Mohd Shakeel and Abdul Haq had earlier served 8 RR in Kashmir
and were presently posted under newly created IX Corps headquartered in Yole
camp in Himachal Pradesh.
The place of origin of all three jawans, Gursai
falling under Mendhar tehsil in Poonch district, has already come under scanner
forcing Army authorities to launch random screening of jawans and their families
living in remote areas to ascertain whether they have been living under the
influence of militants in the area or not.
Reports said that two army jawans detained
recently by Central intelligence agencies, Lance Naik Mohd Shakeel and Sepoy
Abdul Haq during their sustained interrogation have revealed that they were
forced by LeT commander Abu Osama to act as couriers to deliver arms and ammunition,
SIM cards, money, batteries and letters to their cadre, failing which their
families will be subjected to harassment in their village in Gursai. The army
jawans are believed to have executed the tasks assigned to them while returning
on duty as they do not undergo any screening while in uniform.
Counter-insurgency experts and senior police
officials in Jammu view this trend as alarming and had listed militancy infested
areas, including Gursai as Black villages to launch sustained screening.
Inspector General Jammu range SP Vaid said
there is need to carry out screening of jawans and their families as large
number of jawans from border districts of Rajouri and Poonch are serving in
Indian army and other security agencies. He said, for the last seventeen years,
Pakistani agencies, including ISI, were making efforts to motivate residents
in the area to extend them a helping hand to launch more lethal operations
against Indian agencies but failed. He said the present revelations are an
eye-opener for all the security forces.
PNS adds from New Delhi: Sources said the
three soldiers were acting as facilitators for the militants as they had threatened
the families of the soldiers living in remote village with dire consequences.
The militants were provided with food, boots, batteries and other logistical
support including place to stay by these soldiers, it was learnt. Officials
said these soldiers were not privy to any information of strategic or tactical
value, which could be passed on to the militants.
They said it was too early to establish identity
of the terrorist "Tanzeem"(organisation) which was in touch with
these soldiers as interrogation was still on. A court of inquiry as per army
rules would follow and based upon its recommendations, further course of disciplinary
action including court martial would commence, sources said.
They refuted reports of infiltration of the
army ranks by the terrorist organisations and said this case suggested that
the soldiers most probably chose to help the militants as they feared that
their families living in remote areas were vulnerable.
When asked about the measures taken by the
Army to ensure the safety of the families of soldiers living in insurgency
prone areas, they said the security forces carry out patrolling in the general
vicinity of their homes. Moreover, the soldiers are briefed and debriefed
by their commanding officers when they proceed on leave and when they rejoin
duty.
It may be mentioned here that the possibility
of terrorist organisations like the Lashkar-e-Tayyaba (LeT) infiltrating the
armed forces was sounded by none other than National Security Council and
National Security Advisor M K.Narayanan. He cautioned the IAF that two LeT
cadre could have joined the IAF. The IAF carried out a detailed scanning and
found no LeT cadre amongst its ranks. However, the IAF had further tightened
its screening procedures and was conducting regular checks.
