Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, Sept 28: In a huge catch, a19-year-old Pakistani militant belonging to Lashkar-e-Toiba was captured alive during an anti-infiltration operation along the Line of Control on Uri sector of Jammu and Kashmir. One militant was also killed in the operation three Indian soldiers sustained injuries.
The operation was launched on September 18 after the army noticed suspicious movement along the LoC, GoC 19 Infantry Division, Major General Virender Vats told reporters at a briefing in Baramulla district on Tuesday.
The captured terrorist Ali Babar Patra, has made big revelations to the army including details of his terror training in which the Pakistan Army was allegedly involved. The terrorist surrendered when his associate, trying to cross over with him, was killed by the army.
The infiltrators were planning a major strike, the army has said. The captured terrorist had claimed that he had to “drop arms in Baramulla” but the size of the consignment raised suspicion. Six terrorists tried to cross over, according to the army. They took the same route as the terrorists who attacked the Uri army base in 2016, killing 19 Indian soldiers. Days later, India launched surgical strikes across the border to target terror launch pads.
“The route was from the Sawai Nala Terrorist Camp to Hallan Shumali Launch pad to Jabri, leading into Salamabad Nala. 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. The terrorists were mainly from Pakistan’s Punjab.
The terrorist caught alive has told the army he was “misguided and lured into joining LeT due to poverty” after losing his father early. The army said he had a widowed mother and an adopted sister back in Dipalpur and the family could barely manage. To escape poverty, the teen dropped out of school.
He went through three weeks of “preliminary training” at the Garhi Habibullah Camp (KPK) in 2019, said the army, and received “refresher training” in 2021. Most of the instructors involved in the physical and weapons training of the terrorists were Pakistan Army personnel, the terrorist has reportedly revealed.
“The false and fake narratives of ‘Islam being in danger’ and perceived killing including the atrocities being committed against the Muslims in Kashmir was the main theme of indoctrination during the training. Possibly, the surrendered Pakistan national was coerced and lured into joining the terrorists’ ranks due to his poor financial condition. Apparently, his appeal for surrender, as soon as his mate was killed, highlights that he was not convinced about the Jihad narrative,” the army says.
The army officer said an encounter took place when the infiltrators — believed to be six — were challenged.
While four of them were on the other side of the fence, two had come on our side of the territory. “The four terrorists, who were on the other side, took advantage of the dense foliage and retreated back into PoK. The remaining two sneaked in.
“One of the infiltrators was killed in the encounter on the morning of 26th while another one pleaded that his life be spared. As is the ethos of the Indian Army, after taking due precautions, he was taken into custody alive,” the official said.
The apprehended infiltrator has given his identity as 19-year-old Ali Babar Parra, resident of Okara district in Pakistan’s Punjab province.
“He has admitted to be a member or Lashkar-e-Toiba and was trained in Muzaffarabad,” he added. He has revealed that he was trained for three weeks at Khyber camp, Ghadiwala in Muzaffarabad in 2019, the officer said.
Ali claimed he was given ₹ 20,000 for his mother’s treatment and was promised ₹ 30,000 more on his return from Pattan near Baramulla, where the group was to deliver the war-like cache. The infiltration bids started on September 18. The terrorists sought to take advantage of the “dark night, uneven ground, bad weather and thick undergrowth.”
He was recalled this year for some important task and was told by his handlers that he has to do drop supplies at Pattan. But when we went through the recoveries and modus operandi, it shows that they had come here for some kind of a strike which went beyond the drop of supplies, the official said.
“The infiltrating column was supported by the Pakistani side with three porters bringing supplies till the LoC,” he said.
The official said movement of such large number of people cannot take place without active complicity of the Pakistan Army deployed on the other side.
Major General Vats said there has been an increased movement at the launch pad across the LoC. “This shows the desperation of Pakistan that when they see peace in Kashmir, they send in terrorists to disturb peace by sensational strike. Seven terrorists have been neutralised in as many days while one has been nabbed alive,” he added.