The current situation will also witness security forces conducting more intelligence-based operations against terrorists, forcing them to hibernate, sources said

NEW DELHI: Pakistan-based terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba has received a large consignment of arms and ammunition, including AK-47 rifles, grenades and anti-thermal jackets, intelligence inputs suggest.

Earlier, reports suggested the use of ‘thermal camouflage suits’ by Pakistani personnel, who fired at a Border Security Force post along the international border around mid-May resulting in the death of a Jawan. The suits help avoid detection by night-vision devices. The BSF local commanders had initially thought that the Jawan was killed in a sniper fire from across the border, but a footage of a local Hand Held Thermal Imager (HHTI) showed a black shadow moving across the screen, coming close to the BSF post and firing the shot which was suspected to have killed the Jawan.

Reports claimed that HHTI could not clearly pick up the black shadow of the man as he could have been wearing a thermal camouflage suit. A HHTI recognises body heat and creates a silhouette. BSF sources said they could not confirm how the incident happened. But the possibility of such suits or jackets being used for infiltration cannot be ruled out either.

Meanwhile, the LeT consignment could also consist of magazines, pistols, detonators and night-vision devices. These are likely to be sent to Kashmir by the terrorist group, according to the inputs.

“What has also come to light is that LeT terrorists could target the Amarnath Yatra,” explained an official privy to the matter.

The 60-day-long Yatra began on June 28 and will go on till August end. The inputs come in the backdrop of the Centre not extending the suspension of security operations and imposition of governor’s rule in J&K last month.

The current situation will also witness security forces conducting more intelligence-based operations against terrorists, forcing them to hibernate, sources said. There are about 210 terrorists operating in Kashmir, mainly in the south, according to data shared by security forces.