Saturday, July 22 2006 13:02 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Jammu: National Security Advisor M.K. Narayanan is to visit Jammu and Kashmir in the next few days to review the security situation, especially in view of the rise in infiltration from across the Line of Control (LoC) that divides the state between India and Pakistan, official sources said Saturday.

It will be Narayanan's second visit in just over a month. He is scheduled to chair a meeting of the security agencies to review the progress of his June 21 meeting in which he had voiced serious concern over the rise in intrusion from across the border and the violence in the state. There has been a spate of attacks on tourists in the state.

This time, Narayanan's additional worries are over reports that the militants have succeeded in entering the Indian side by dodging the fence, officials said.

While official circles maintain that the Pakistan Army is supporting the infiltration almost at the same scale as it used to be prior to the November 2003 ceasefire, with the only change being that it is not giving them fire cover, the loopholes at the LoC have come to light too.

The terrain of the LoC, which varies from plains to Himalayan heights, is the most challenging anywhere in the world, say Indian Army sources.

Meanwhile, strict security measures are being put in place for the forthcoming visit of President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam for his two-day visit to the Kashmir Valley and Leh from July 28.