Terrorists entered India via Nepal

Sixteen terrorists allegedly entered India via Nepal and proceeded to Kashmir in the first six months of last year--says a fresh release of US diplomatic cables by whistleblower website Wikileaks.

Updated on: Dec 12, 2010, 02:02:00 IST

Hindustan Times | By Utpal Parashar, Kathmandu

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Sixteen terrorists allegedly entered India via Nepal and proceeded to Kashmir in the first six months of last year--says a fresh release of US diplomatic cables by whistleblower website Wikileaks.

Former Indian Army chief General Deepak Kapoor made this assertion during a meeting of the then US National Security Advisor James Jones with Defence Minister AK Anthony and defence ministry officials.

The meeting took place on June 26 last year in New Delhi. A cable on the meeting sent three days later was released on Saturday by Wikileaks.

The release termed ‘secret’ was based on a discussion Jones had with Anthony on the India-US security situation and Pakistan.

Replying to a query by Jones on the percentage of infiltrators from Pakistan that manage to get through, Kapoor estimated it to be around 15-20% but cited the challenge posed by India’s open border with Nepal.

“He asserted that at least 16 terrorists this year entered India through Nepal and then travelled to Kashmir,” the cable mentions.

Kapoor also stated that there were 43 terrorist camps in operation in Pakistan, 22 of them in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

While there has been no reaction yet from Nepal government on the Wikileaks release, it reiterates India’s worry of the open border with Nepal being used by terrorists to enter the country.

“Nearly 20-30 Nepali passports go missing every day and since the document is of inferior nature, they could be used by terrorists to enter India as Nepali citizens,” said a senior diplomat recently.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

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