After floods infiltration is the next worry in Jammu and Kashmir

Other than throwing up the immediate challenge of rescuing and rehabilitating a large population of Jammu and Kashmir that has been displaced, the flood fury has caused a major concern of renewed infiltration from Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) because of large portions of border fencing getting washed away or damaged in various sectors at both international border and Line of Control.

How have the floods made the IB or LoC vulnerable?
The floods have caused damage to the three-tier fencing along with border outposts and equipment at various places in Sambha, Akhnoor, Rajouri, Poonch and up to Baramulla and Kupwara in the Kashmir Valley.
In the Akhnoor sector alone, 40 kilometres of solid three-tiered fence has been washed away along with the bund made to look over movements or infiltration attempts from a good distance. The floods have also ravaged a large number of bunkers, ammunition and sensitive equipment like infrared cameras, sources said raising grim concern of infiltration from the opposite Rawalkot region of Pakistan in the immediate future.

Has the deployment along the border been affected?
Yes. Several border outposts remain inundated with flood waters. Hundreds of army soldiers and Boarder Security Force men have been evacuated from their border outposts. There are reports of some jawans being washed away or drowned in the floods.
A senior BSF official in Jammu sector said on Thursday as the water is receding the jawans are returning back to the border outposts and would immediately start restoring border fencing.
Due to unprecedented situation, 30,000 Army jawans have to be ploughed into rescue and relief operation and a large number have been evacuated to safer places, thus leaving gaps in the areas vulnerable to infiltration.

How long will it take to rebuild or mence fences?
Rebuilding and mending fences may take several months, according to a union home ministry official. The ministry has yet to assess the real damage and hopes to do so once the water recedes. It is a concern, second only to relief operations.

Which are the most sensitive points as far as infiltration is concerned?
The maximum danger of infiltration is from the areas close to rivers, nullahs and rivulets where the flood torrent has been literally pulled off large chunks of fencing. Defence and BSF sources say such places are in hundreds

What is particularly worrying for the security establishment?
Although the floods have ravaged the PoK region as well, the terror infrastructure there is expected to be intact as it is largely mobile and the terror outfits had time in advance to move to higher grounds. Moreover, as most militants are given rigorous advance training to overcome natural obstacles, the security agencies are apprehensive that the infiltration attempts may already be underway.

How many militants are active in Kashmir?
Currently, about 210 to 250 militants are estimated to be present in the Valley and there number is expected to swell in the coming days thus undoing the tough task of keeping their numbers down by the security forces.