UDHAMPUR: Against the backdrop of Sunjwan terror attack, Army Commander Northern Command Lt Gen D Anbu on Wednesday said that terrorist outfits are hand in glove and planning attacks in the State, but the Army is well equipped and prepared to foil their nefarious designs.
“All three terrorist outfits namely HM, JeM or LeT are hand in glove whether it is in the Valley or in Jammu and there is no differentiation as they keep jumping from one ‘Tanzeem’ to another,” said the Army Commander while addressing a press conference here on Wednesday morning after Investiture Ceremony of Northern Command.
He said, “anybody who picks up arms and is against the state, is a terrorist and we will deal with them suitably as Army know how to tackle them.”
The reply came to a query seeking detail that Lashkar and Jaish had joined hands to carry attacks in Kashmir and Jammu respectively. “So far Rs 364 crores has been spent on security gadgets in the state,” he added and said that Army is having a large number of small units and it difficult to secure properly with immediate priority but still, they are not only being secured physically but also with installation of gadgets.
“We have to concentrate on three things, first to stop infiltration, secondly to eliminate the anti-nationals in the hinterland and thirdly to arrest the radical elements active in the region,” he asserted.
He added that in 2017, Army focused on to leadership of terrorists and the real concern is the increase of local terrorists taking up the arms, who are mostly in the age group of 20 to 30 years and maximum of them were belonging to poor families.
“Social media has played a larger part in engaging youth in militancy, if valley population is 60 lakhs, 40 lakh is youth and the radical elements are targeting them,” he added and said that families and even army has to play the key role to motivate these youth in other activities to channelize their energies positively.
On statement of Asadudin Owaisi saying that soldiers martyred in Jammu terror attack were Muslims, the Army Commander said, “in army there is ‘sarv dharam sthal’ and we do not communalise troops.
We don’t communalize martyrs and those making statements don’t know the Army well.” On shifting of training centers, the GOC-in-C said, “I always treat my subordinates in same manner and all are equal for me.
I never doubt anybody’s credentials who are under my Command. They are motivated and patriotic soldiers.”
However, on registration of FIR against Major Aditya, he said, “the matter is sub-judice but it will not let down the morale of the troops.”
On continuous ceasefire violations and number of Pakistani soldiers killed across the border while quoting the media reports, the Army Commander said, “as per reports 192 Pak soldiers were killed in Indian retaliation but as per our inputs, the figure is even higher.”
The GOC-in-C also said that there is direct role of Pak Army in planning attacks on Indian army. (AGENCIES)
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