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| Army pulls out 15000 troops | | | Early Times Report
Jammu, Oct 28: In the largest ever withdrawal of security forces since the onset of violence in Jammu and Kashmir, India has pulled out over 15,000 army troops from the militancy-infested border belts, a senior officer today said.
''Entire 39 ‘Dah’ Division, comprising over 15,000 troops, has been withdrawn from the state,'' said an army officer. According to sources, the process of shifting of the Dah Division was executed at a very fast pace.
''Normally the movement of an Army Division takes up to six months, but in case of 39 Div it was very quick,’’ the sources said, asserting the withdrawal of troops from various locations, which had begun late in August this year, is complete by now, barring certain elements.
The troops of 39 ‘Dah’ Mountain Division, which originally hail from Palampur in neighbouring Himachal Pradesh, were operational in Jammu and Kashmir since 1994 and had actively participated in the Kargil conflict.
Of late, the Dah Division was responsible for manning the Line of Control (LoC) with Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir in Rajouri and Poonch border districts, where it was deployed to conduct counter-insurgency operations and undertake counter-infiltration measures under the XVI 'White Knight' Corps.
Some political parties, including the main Opposition PDP, and the separatists in the Valley had been demanding withdrawal of security forces from Jammu and Kashmir.
As compared to last year, there had been an increase in the infiltration of militants from across the LoC during 2009.
According to the facts available with the Udhampur-based Northren Command, as many as 72 militants had entered into the state after breaching LoC till August this year, while only 45 militants could make it to this side in 2008.
The Dah Division had played an active role during the Operation 'Sarp Vinash', which was launched to eliminate militants in Hill Kaka mountains of Rajouri district in 2003.
Besides, it had conducted several people-friendly programmes under Operation Sadhbhavna and also trained Village Defence Committee members, including women, in handling arms against militants.
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