Indian Army foils infiltration bid in Uri, arrests 18-year-old Pakistani in 10-day operation

One terrorist was killed in Jammu and Kashmir’s Uri sector, while another surrendered during a 10-day-long operation by the Indian Army, sources told ANI on Tuesday. According to a press statement by Chinar Corps unit of the Indian Army, an infiltration bid was made by Pakistani terrorists along the Line of Control in Uri Sector on the intervening night of 18 and 19 September 2021, which was intercepted by the security forces. During the infiltration attempt, a patrol party spotted at least two people trying to cross the LOC. But taking advantage of the thick foliage and the dark, four terrorists ran back towards the Pakistan Occupied Kashmi while remaining two terrorists managed to crossover to the Indian side. The army, in a statement describing the operation, said: “Additional forces were inducted and multiple patrols were launched in the suspected areas and the getaway routes were blocked. On the night of 25 Sep 2021, contact was again established by one such patrol with the terrorists approximately 800 meters inside the LC. Eventually by afternoon of 26 Sep 2021, one Pakistani terrorist Atiq ur Rehman (or Qari Anas, belonging to Attock district in Punjab (Pakistan) aged 33 years was eliminated. The second Pakistani terrorist, named Ali Babar Patra, of Okara district of Pakistan appealed to surrender and was captured alive without causing any harm to him.” “Indian Army does not differentiate between local terrorist or Pakistani terrorist, if the terrorist is willing to surrender,” the statement added. “The route taken by the terrorists to infiltrate was from Sawai Nala Terrorist Camp to Hallan Shumali Launch pad to Jabri, leading into Salamabad Nala. It is pertinent to mention here that, it was along Salamabad Nala through which terrorists infiltrated in 2016 with the help of Pakistan Army and carried out suicide attack on Uri Garrison," the army said. Talking about the 18-year-old captured terrorist, the force said that the surrendered terrorist was misguided and lured into joining Lashkar-e-Taiba. His handlers knew that Patra, a school dropout was struggling with poverty because he had lost his father at a young age. He left behind his widowed mother and an adopted sister to join militancy, while the family continues to languish in poverty. Patra told upon interrogation that he was paid Rs 20,000 upon induction for his mother’s treatment while another Rs 30,000 were promised after he returned safely from Baramullah on the Indian side of the Line of Control, where the group was to deliver arms and weaponry. “However, it is evident that it had more nefarious designs which even the surrendered terrorist is unaware of,” the army said. The army said that in the last week, a total of seven terrorists have been neutralised and one terrorist has been apprehended, including five from near the Line of Control. Meanwhile, the Jammu and Kashmir Police arrested two terrorist associates in Pulwama and busted a terrorist hideout in Rajourikadal area in Srinagar district, officials said on Tuesday. The Srinagar Police with the assistance of Pulwama Police and Army’s 50 RR also arrested two overground workers (OGWs) of terrorists from South Kashmir’s Pulwama district