New Delhi, Jan. 31 (ANI): Defence Minister AK Antony on Thursday termed as baseless a report about Indian Army soldiers being involved in torturing and decapitating Pakistani troops along the Line of Control (LoC).
The Indian Army on Wednesday had described the report appeared in a leading newspaper as incorrect and speculative.
Speaking after inaugurating a seminar on naval armament in the national capital, Antony said these reports were "totally baseless".
Antony further said that India couldn't afford to be slack in protecting its borders with Pakistan.
The Defence Minister's remarks came in response to a media reports citing a book by retired Pakistani Lieutenant General Shahid Aziz, which claimed that then Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was probably aware of the infiltrations into Kargil.
"The series of reports coming about Kargil also shows that even though at the moment, after the second round of talks at the DGMO (Director General of Military Operations) level, the situation at LoC (Line of Control), (where) tension has reduced, we cannot lower our guard. We have to be vigilant 24x7. That is why we are taking all precautions to face any eventuality," he said.
Commenting on the recent incident of a constable and an Air Force helicopter being left behind in a Maoist-infested area during an operation, Antony said that he awaited a full report that his ministry had sought for the incident.
"We have not received the final result. Regarding this case of operations in Naxalite areas, we are extending only logistics support, training and other help. As far as the Army and the Air Force is concerned, we will not be there for direct operations. That is not our role. We will not be there for direct confrontation or direct operations," Antony said.
The helicopter had gone missing after Maoist insurgents attacked an Mi-17chopper on January 18 when it was airlifting two injured security personnel in Dantewada district.
The Maoists have significantly increased their presence in tribal and rural regions in the states of Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal and Odisha. (ANI)
