New Delh: Amid the coronovirus outbreak and increasing instances of Pakistan militants infiltration bid at Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir, Indian Army has adopted a new Standing Operating Procedure (SOP) to deal with slain militants bodies, sources said on Thursday.
This is amid growing concren that militants killed in counter-insurgency action might be infected with COVID. The Army”s new instructions are for the personnel posted in the forward location in the Jammu and Kashmir.
According to new SOP, the personnel handling the bodies of those militants killed during infiltration bids, must have minimum contacts, must wear proper personal protective gear and should not “expose themselves to the body of the eliminated militants”.
The force changed the SOP on dealing with the bodies after intelligences agencies flagged that militants holed up at “militant launch pad across the Line of Control in Pakistan might be COVID positive”.
Further agencies had also flagged that these militants are staying together without maintaining social distancing amid the COVID-19 threat. In one of the intelligence report, it was flagged that militants were planning to use COVID as a weapon against the Indian Army.
This is also done after witnessing an increase in ceasefire violation from Pakistan, which already has a total of 6,297 positive cases in the country.
Pakistan has been pushing militants into India and resorting to ceasefire violations even as the world is fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.
Indian Army chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane is on a two day visit to Kashmir Valley starting from Thursday to review the ongoing operations there.
On Thursday, Pakistan violated ceasefire in Poonch and Rajouri districts in Jammu and Kahsmir. “At about 9.45 a.m., Pakistan initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation along Line of Control in Qasba and Kirni Sectors in District Poonch by firing with small arms,” Indian Army said.
Later at about 11.45 a.m., Pakistan has resorted to another ceasefire violation along Line of Control in Nowshera Sector in Rajouri district by firing with small arms and shelling with mortars.
Indian Army is retaliating befittingly to the violations.
The ceasefire violation increased after Indian security forces eliminated five militants on the Line of Control and four militants in hinterland in the last week in Jammu and Kashmir.
On April 12, Pakistan resorted to ceasefire violations in Kupwara Sector in which three people, including a child, were killed. Pakistan had started heavy shelling in Kupwara, Tumina Chowkibal and Handwara. On April 10, Pakistan had also violated ceasefire.
Indian Army has been befittingly responding to such violations.
It was on April 6, Indian Army eliminated a group of five infiltrating militants in Keran sector in hand to hand fight. Indian Army had also lost five of its elite army commandos. In hinterland also, Indian Amry had eliminated five militants.
This year till date, more than 1,200 incidents of ceasefire violation by Pakistan has been reported. In January, 367 incidents of cease fire violation was reported and in February it was 366. In March, Pakistan carried out violation 411 times. (IANS)
