Infiltration bids up in Kashmir: Antony

NEW DELHI - Infiltration attempts from Pakistan into Jammu and Kashmir were on the rise, Defence Minister A.K. Antony said Wednesday, a day after returning from the state.

In 2009, infiltration declined but the attempts of infiltration are going up. It is of serious nature… The enemy across the border… they do not want the situation to be normal, Antony told reporters on the sidelines of a seminar here.

He said there were more infiltration attempts as the state approached normalcy.

The defence minister also underlined the need for more vigilance on the part of the security forces.

During his daylong visit to Jammu and Kashmir, Antony met Chief Minister Omar Abdullah along with Indian Army chief General Deepak Kapoor, Defence Secretary Pradeep Kumar and other officials from the ministry, the state government as well as security and intelligence agencies.

With the improvement in the security situation, time had now come for the state police to be given far greater responsibility in tackling the threat of terrorism, Antony said during his visit.

The handing over of the responsibility must be meticulously planned and undertaken in a gradual, phased manner, he added.