The Union Minister for Defence, Rajnath Singh, interacting with the troops during his visit to border areas of Jammu & Kashmir and also took stock of the security situation along the Line of Control (LoC) on December 27, 2023.
New Delhi: Amidst renewed attacks on Indian army soldiers and fresh tensions over the alleged custodial deaths of three men detained last week by the army in connection with the killing of soldiers in Rajouri, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh visited the border areas of the Jammu & Kashmir today.
The Defence Minister, who was accompanied by Chief of the Army Staff General Manoj Pande and General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Northern Command Lieutenant General Upendra Dwivedi, discussed the operating challenges with the Commanders on the ground there.
The Defence Minister met with the families of the deceased persons, residents of village Topa Peer of Bufliaz in Poonch district, and assured expeditious investigation into the incident culminating in the deliverance of justice. He also called for professional conduct and due diligence while carrying out operations.
“The Indian Army is not an ordinary army. The soldiers are our protectors. It is their duty to not only safeguard national interests but also to win the hearts of the people,” he said during his interaction with the troops.
Four soldiers were killed and three others were wounded in an ambush in Rajouri on December 21, 2023. Singh today took stock of the security situation along the Line of Control (LoC).
Earlier, in November 2023, five soldiers including two army captains were killed in Kalakote in Rajouri, and in September, four army personnel were killed in a gunfight in the forests of Kokernag near Anantnag district. In April and May too, 10 soldiers were killed in the two districts.
Singh described the recent incidents in the Rajouri sector as unfortunate and asked all ranks to undertake operations based on hard intelligence, per established procedures aided by niche technology.
It may be mentioned that a little-known Peoples Anti-Fascist Front, a proxy of the Pakistan-based terror outfit Jaish-e-Muhammad, had claimed responsibility for the attacks, including the latest one. Singh urged all Commanders to have zero tolerance for violations of the well-established Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). While he was given a detailed brief on the prevalent security situation, counter-infiltration grid and operational preparedness, he exhorted the troops to remain extra vigilant so that no untoward incident occurs in future.
Interacting with the troops, the Defence Minister paid tributes to the soldiers killed in action and conveyed his deepest condolences to the families of the bravehearts. He wished a speedy recovery of the injured soldiers, emphasising that all necessary measures were being taken given the prevailing situation.
He also termed the welfare of the Armed Forces as the Government’s top priority, stressing that additional efforts were being made to bolster the security and intelligence framework.
Singh expressed satisfaction with the high level of synergy between the security forces, civil administration, J&K Police, Central Armed Police Forces and other security agencies in projecting a clear message of resoluteness towards improving the security environment, which he said was conducive to fostering a new era of development in the Union Territory (UT). He also complimented the local people for their steadfastness and contribution towards joining the mainstream efforts undertaken by the Government of India.
Preceding the visit of the Defence Minister, the Chief of Army Staff had visited the area on December 25, 2023, and exhorted all ranks of the Indian Army to conduct operations most professionally while remaining resolute and steadfast against all challenges. He had also underscored the commitment of the Indian Army to respecting human rights and zero tolerance for violations in any form.
– global bihari bureau
