- “Conduct operations in most professional manner’: General Manoj Pande
- 4th Day: No contact with terrorists involved in attack on Army vehicles.
- Mobile internet services remained suspended on 3rd consecutive day.
Shyam Sood
Rajouri, December 25: Army Chief, General Manoj Pande on Monday afternoon visited Rajouri-Poonch districts to review the security scenario in the aftermath of recent spurt in terror incidents.
Army Chief also visited Dehra-Ki-Gali (DKG) area where on December 21 terrorists ambushed two vehicles of the army and in the attack four soldiers attained martyrdom and three were injured.
In another incident 3 civilians of the ambush site were found dead on December 23, who were among others picked up by the Army for questioning after the terrorist ambushed the vehicles on Rajouri-Bafliaz-Surankot road at Dhatyar Morh(turn).
Meanwhile, according to a media report Raksha Mantri (Defence Minister) Rajnath Singh is also visiting Jammu-Rajouri & Poonch to assess the prevailing situation.
The Defence Minister is likely to interact both with the troops and civilians in Rajouri & Poonch and will hold a high level security review meeting at Raj Bhawan in Jammu.
The incident of alleged custodial killings sparked resentment in both the districts and people alleged all the deceased were innocent and died due to torture by the army.
The Army has transferred a Brigadier (Sector Commander) & three other officers following the deaths of 3 civilians,
On Army Chief’s visit to border districts of Rajouri & Poonch, ADGPI-Indian Army posted on X; “General Manoj Pande COAS visited Poonch sector and was given an update on the prevalent security situation. COAS interacted with Commanders on ground, exhorted them to conduct the operations in the most professional manner and remain resolute & steadfast against all challenges’ .
Immediately after reaching Jammu, General Manoj Pande left for Rajouri. At the meeting point of Rajouri & Poonch districts at DKG, the Army Chief reviewed the ongoing anti-terror operation in the dense forests in both the districts to flush out the terrorists involved in the attack on the Army vehicles.
It is pertinent to mention here that the stretch between DKG (Rajouri) and Bafliaz (Poonch) is one of mostly densely forested and in the month of October 2021, five soldiers had lost their lives in Chamarel village in an encounter with the terrorists close to DKG in Surankot tehsil of Poonch district.
Later the Army Chief flew to Infantry Division HQs at Rajouri where he was briefed by the Commanders about the prevailing security situation.
Meanwhile, Poonch police have registered a case in the death of three civilians against unidentified persons and started further investigation.
The Army has extended full cooperation and support in the conduct of the investigation.
The Army also ordered a thorough internal investigation into the deaths of the three civilians and said it is committed to extending full support and cooperation in the conduct of the investigation.
No contact has been established with the fleeing terrorists even on the 4th day on Monday despite intense search of the area/forests with the help of helicopters, drones, and other modern gadgets.
Mobile internet services also continued to remain suspended on the third day today keeping in view misuse of these services by the anti-national elements.
