Delhi confirms 2,500 ultras waiting to enter J&K

New Delhi: In a startling turnaround the UPA dispensation ruling at the centre has announced revised estimates of the number of terrorists that have been lined up to be pushed into the state of Jammu & Kashmir by Pakistan. From a benign estimate of 400-500 terrorists, the government now confesses the number may actually be as high as 2,500.

''There are reports that around 2,500 fully trained Kashmiri militants are ready to infiltrate into J&K from across the border/ LoC,'' minister of state for home Jitendra Singh told Rajya Sabha while responding to a question by three MPs.

In its earlier estimates the government had been trying to appear sanguine, relegating the threat to around 400-500 militants who, it said, were waiting to cross the Line of Control (LoC).

The revision comes just a few weeks after The New York Times reported that Pakistan has 12,000-14,000 fully trained 'fighters' ready to enter India for terrorist activities.

Reports suggest that it is likely that the United States may have shared information with India leading to a revision in estimates.

It is being pointed out that when the NYT report was first published, Indian Home minister P Chidambaram termed the paper's estimates as ''highly exaggerated''.