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New Delhi: More Army troops have been moved to Jammu and Kashmir to maintain the heat on militants after the Operation 'Sarp Vinash' and in fresh big strikes on militants hideouts, 45 militants, mostly Pakistani mercenaries, have been killed and 10 captured during the last three days.

Confirming that the operation against militants would be carried out with more vigour, highly placed Army officials on May 29, said eight to 10 battalions have been moved to Poonch-Naushera sector and a new second tier of anti-infiltration grid, including setting up of electrified fence in suspected infiltration routes, had come up.

Asserting that Army forces would continue to occupy militant fortifications in the Hilkaka region where over the last two months security forces had killed 63 militants, officials said and added that work on 275 kms of fencing in the most infiltration-prone areas on the line of control would be completed by the 2003- end.

They said over 4,000 Army engineers were working round-the-clock on the fencing and by next year the fencing would be extended to over 600 kms. The fence is being erected about 10 to 15 kms inside Indian territory laced with anti-infiltration devices like ground sensors and pressure activate and infra red sensors.

"Every battalion operating in Jammu and Kashmir has now been equipped with some numbers of sensors and force multipliers like the hand held thermals," officials said.

PTI