JAMMU: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Chief of the Army Staff General Manoj Pande arrived in Jammu to review security after the Poonch attack on army vehicles, in which four jawans were killed. The Defence Minister will visit Rajouri and Jammu today to review the security situation in the valley.
Four Army personnel were killed while three others were injured after heavily armed terrorists ambushed two Army vehicles near Thanamandi in the Rajouri sector on Thursday last week. Security has been beefed up in Jammu ahead of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s visit.
Amid the recent increase in attacks on its troops, the Indian Army is planning to increase the number of troops in the Poonch-Rajouri sector to curb the activities of the Pakistani terrorists there, sources said on Monday. “An additional brigade-size formation had been moved into the area a few months ago. It is planned that another brigade will come there along with a few other units to support counter-terrorist operations,” sources in the Army said.
The move is expected to strengthen the counter-terrorist grid in the area and increase the confidence of the local population. The local police have also strengthened their intelligence network and are expected to beef it up further.
The Army is also conducting a Staff Court of Inquiry against the 13-Sector Rashtriya Rifles Commander, who is a Brigadier, for the recurring lapses in operations in which the Army has lost many troops.
The Staff Court of Inquiry is being headed by a Major General-rank officer who would also be taking responsibility for the deaths of three civilians who were taken into custody by 48 RR troops right after the Dera ki Gali terror attack, in which four troops were killed and their bodies were also mutilated.
Indian Army chief General Manoj Pande also visited the Poonch-Rajouri sector today and is expected to visit again along with senior defence ministry functionaries this week. During the visit, he was briefed by the top commanders about the current operations and the steps to be taken to target terrorists effectively in the coming days.
Sources said the Pakistan Army and its intelligence agencies want to revive terrorism in the Poonch Rajouri sector to pressurise the Indian Army to cut down troops on the northern border with China.
The Indian Army has been in a military standoff with China for the last three years and has held multiple rounds to de-escalate the situation there. The Indian Army has been focusing more on the northern and eastern fronts since the Chinese aggression in 2020. The security forces have also managed to cut down on terrorist activities in the Kashmir valley. (ANI)