The Army says more than 70 per cent of the cross-firing incidents have happened on areas manned by BSF personnel. At places like the strategic Pir Bhadreshwar in Rajouri, the Army is already strengthening BSF positions. “We have boosted BSF positions with our own men after firing incidents on their posts in the Poonch sector,” says Lt Col TJ Singh, the Officiating Commanding Officer of 2 Sikh Light Infantry that is holding the ridge.

Meanwhile, the Army is also making sure that its troops are prepared for attacks. At Tut Mari Gali (TMG), for example — barely a km away from where the July 28 incident occurred — where Indian posts are located at heights of over 12,000 feet and overlook Pakistan’s Leepa valley, things have also tightened up.

The Army has already brought out a ‘digest of service’, a record of daily events that take place in the region, and have mapped posts that were targeted during the pre-ceasefire days. Officers who served in the region before 2003 have also been consulted for advice on where ceasefire violations are likely to take place.

“We need to respect the ceasefire, but also strike a balance between an effective response and a restrained response,” says Brig J S Cheema, Commander of the TMG Brigade.

Meanwhile, the top leadership is wary of the security situation on the LoC. “These incidents will continue till the political situation in Pakistan becomes more stable. With the Pakistan Army facing humiliation on their Western borders, these incidents are also a way for them to regain face. We have to plan with the premise that such incidents are here to stay for quite some time,” says a top Indian Army officer.

... contd.