Shinde promises stern action against ceasefire violation culprits

After reviewing the security situation in the wake of recent ceasefire violations along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir, Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde on Tuesday promised stern action against those involved.

"See, we cannot become tougher only by talking tougher. See the actions are being taken. Whenever they break the rules, break the authority, break the orders, we take action. It is not that we are not taking stern action and we have proved that," Shinde said.

"But now there has been information that the people are going out from the villages. Now, I got the information that shelter has been created by the state as well as the BSF and they are moving to that shelter at night," he added.

While exuding confidence in the Indian Army, Shinde also assured that the armed forces are fully capable of handling any situation along the border.

"We have come here to promise you that we stand by you, the country stands by you," Shinde told the Indian soldiers, as he visited forward posts in the Samba sector of Jammu and Kashmir.

During his visit, Shinde reviewed border security and met Border Security Force personnel in the district.

He also undertook an aerial survey of the infiltration routes of Basantar, Ujj Nullah, Terni in Kathua and Samba districts, which borders Pakistan.

Shinde and Abdullah also visited the Hiranagar Police Station in Samba district, where, on September 26, five policemen were killed in a militant attack.

According to media reports, Shinde was also scheduled to meet senior Army, Police, BSF, CRPF officials and representatives of the State and Centre's intelligence agencies today to take stock of the recent Pakistani violations along the LoC.

The visit assumes significance in the backdrop of a series of ceasefire violations by Pakistani troops.

Shinde had yesterday expressed concern over repeated ceasefire violations from across the border along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir, and said he would be visiting the area to assess the situation on ground.

"We have sufficient information that there has been an infiltration. This might be the result of decisions taken by the Indian Government against militants in the past few years," he told media on the sidelines of a function here.

Shinde had also rejected third party intervention on Kashmir. He said that the Indian Government has consistently maintained that there can be no third party interference in bilateral matters between India and Pakistan.

"Our stand has always been that when it is a matter between two countries, the third country cannot participate in it. This has been our viewpoint right the time of Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru and even today our view is the same," Shinde said, when asked about Pakistan's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif hinting at seeking US intervention in resolving the Kashmir issue.