Yogesh
Jammu, Jul 3: Newly appointed Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi on Wednesday reviewed the security situation along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir, exhorting the troops to remain steadfast in meeting all security challenges, officials said.
On a maiden visit to the Jammu region after taking charge as the 30th Chief of the Indian Army on June 30, General Dwivedi interacted with troops at a forward base, instilling confidence among them. The visit assumes significance in view of the ongoing Amarnath Yatra and massive anti-terror operations underway, especially in parts of the Jammu region, where security forces successfully neutralized five terrorists in Doda and Kathua districts in June alone.
A Jammu-based defence spokesperson told the news agency – Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that the Army Chief reached Jammu in the morning and flew to the border district of Poonch to review the security situation and operational preparedness along the LoC.
“The Chief of Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi, accompanied by GOC-in-C Northern Command Lt Gen M.V. Suchindra Kumar and Corps Commander 16 Corps Lt Gen Navin Sachdeva, visited the District Police Headquarters in Poonch on the sidelines of his maiden visit to the forward area. They were warmly received by DIG Rajouri-Poonch Range Tejinder Singh, District Magistrate Poonch Yaseen M. Choudhary, and SSP Poonch Yougal Manhas,” he said.
During the visit, General Dwivedi familiarized himself with the workings of the district police and the general area of Poonch. He interacted with the territorial police officers and emphasized the importance of close coordination between the army and civil authorities to achieve better results.
General Dwivedi’s visit underscores the commitment to maintaining strong collaboration between military and civil forces for enhanced security and development in the region.
The Additional Directorate General of Public Information of the Army said Chief of Army Staff General Dwivedi visited forward locations of the ‘XVI Corps’, known as the White Knight Corps, to review the security situation along the LoC.
“He was briefed on the operational preparedness by the commanders on the ground. The COAS lauded all ranks for maintaining high standards of professionalism and exhorted them to remain steadfast in meeting all current and emerging security challenges,” the additional directorate general of public information said.
The Army Chief met with Jammu and Kashmir’s Principal Home Secretary, Chandraker Bharti, in Poonch and discussed security matters. He interacted with the parents of the martyrs of the Poonch region who laid down their lives in the service of the nation. The COAS also met the veterans, assured them of unwavering support from the Indian Army, and appreciated the prominent civil dignitaries for their synergy and cooperation with the Indian Army in maintaining peace and harmony in the region.
Later, the Army Chief, along with other senior officers of the Army, including the Army Commander Northern Command and Corps Commanders of Srinagar-based 15 and Jammu-based 16 Corps, held a comprehensive security review meeting with the top brass of Jammu and Kashmir Police, led by DGP R.R. Swain and ADGPI (Law and Order) Vijay Kumar, at Nagrota.
Officials sources said that the meeting deliberated upon the security of the Amarnath Yatra and the Army Chief lauded the synergy between security forces in dealing with the emerging threat of terrorism in the Jammu region. The Chief also appreciated officers making foolproof strategies to build a strong and fearless narrative, given the booming tourism in Kashmir and around 1 lakh pilgrims visiting Shri Amarnath Yatra in just the first five days. (KNO)
