Story Of 'Cross-LOC Operation' By Special Forces To Avenge Uri Attack May Not Be True
|TheQuint.com had published a report on Wednesday claiming that two units of the army’s elite 2 PARA conducted the operation in the Uri sector and attacked three terror camps in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK). They further claimed that the total number of casualties in the operation can possibly be more than 200.
NewsLaundry carried out an extensive report on the issue. In the article, they quoted several journalist and armed forces personnel who claimed such reports are false.
Times Of India carried out another report that stated, “Sources maintained that no such action had been undertaken and the account was incorrect.”
Many journalists were outraged by the report and categorically said that how even army sources are denying such operation.
@TheQuint No other media is reporting this, except you .. How can be believe on its authenticity?? Stop spreading the fake news
— Ashish Vaish (@iOnly_Ashish) September 22, 2016
@TheQuint Don't published until it's verified and confirmed by related authorities.
— चौधरी साब (@BleedSaffron) September 22, 2016
Former CM of Omar Abdullah also found the report unbelievable
So it seems our special forces crossed the LoC, destroyed some terrorist training camps & came back unscathed. Pray tell why is Pak silent?
— Omar Abdullah (@abdullah_omar) September 22, 2016
I get that we don't want to pat ourselves on the back but why is Pakistan not raising hell over the incursion? Do they know we were there?
— Omar Abdullah (@abdullah_omar) September 22, 2016
This has to be the first of its kind of surgical strike where the striker isn't ready to claim glory & the target doesn't know it was hit.
— Omar Abdullah (@abdullah_omar) September 22, 2016
This has to be the first of its kind of surgical strike where the striker isn't ready to claim glory & the target doesn't know it was hit.
— Omar Abdullah (@abdullah_omar) September 22, 2016
Saikat Datta, former editor, National Security, Hindustan Times, called the Quint report “inaccurate”. Pointing out factual inaccuracies in the report,he said, “They got the name of the unit wrong. Also, the unit which the publication claims carried out the operation does not even operate in the region stated.”Another red flag for Datta was the claim that helicopters were flown in for the operation.“A dead giveaway was saying that helicopters were flown in for the operation. You don’t launch an aerial incursion in a situation like this.” He also expressed doubts on the high number of casualties stated.
NewsLaundry was told that higher-ups in Northern Command (NC) of Indian Army, who handle media, are baffled by The Quint’s report. “The Quint seems to know better than the Army operating on the front,” one official said dryly, on condition of anonymity. Another senior-ranking officer told Newslaundry, “All I have to say is that this frivolous report, which has caught the fancy of the readers, holds no water.”
Standing by story means zilch.
No official comment ever on covert ops.
Story endangers real ops / our troops on ground.
Alerts Pak. https://t.co/XFVNgoYpwe— Shiv Aroor (@ShivAroor) September 22, 2016
@shivaroor Oh fair enough, agree. No need to endanger lives when there’s no downside to waiting a day or two.
— Shashank Joshi (@shashj) September 22, 2016
Senior Fellow at Royal United Services Institute, Shashank Joshi questioned it, saying that covert operations can and has been covered by the global media. But he added that considering how the story was reported not even a day after the alleged military operation, he reconsidered the fact that the story could in fact endanger lives.
@shashj @ShivAroor though there were also questions about veracity and substantiation apart from endangering
— barkha dutt (@BDUTT) September 22, 2016
Owing to the sensitive situation of the Uri attacks, any reportage on developments of the further attacks shouldn’t have been dealt with such audacity like “exclusive story”. It is not possible to rule out that there haven’t been any cross-border attacks because the government would not speak about it, if it is an entirely covert mission.
Surprised it was published given firm & consistent Army denials on and off record for last 36 hours. https://t.co/wzQVy9Y4Da
— barkha dutt (@BDUTT) September 22, 2016
@BDUTT Is there evidence to suggest that govt. planted this story or is it more likely just random kite flying by Quint? @shashj @ShivAroor
— Sadanand Dhume (@dhume) September 22, 2016
The government has not confirmed any such reports. Even no hue and cry have yet been raised by Pakistan.
Such reports without a confirmation call upon trouble between the two countries and also it puts lives of our soldiers in danger. If these kinds of false reports are circulated across media platforms, it is possible that governments might take stern action based on those reports. It will eventually, lead to plight for the army.
India landed up in a major controversy in 2015 after claiming that it had successfully completed an operation against Naga militants in neighbouring Myanmar. The fake photos of Indian army stating that they crossed Myanmar for counter-insurgency operation were circulated across social media. And the tie between India and Pakistan is more hostile than that between India and Myanmar.
Even if the report is true, it shouldn’t have been published till their was an official brief from the Army.