Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar Apr 30: General Officer Commanding of Srinagar-based 15 Corps, Lt Gen Satish Dua today said that Army is ready to stop infiltration from across the Line of Control (LoC) into Kashmir and establish peace in the Valley.
Speaking to reporters at Gumri on the sidelines of a re-opening of Srinagar-Leh National Highway, the army Commander on militants waiting on launch pads across the Line of Control (LoC) said: “It does not matter how many people are waiting at the launch pads. What matters is infiltration attempts being made and for that our counter-infiltration grid is in place. So, the Army is ready to stop infiltrators and to establish peace in the Valley.”
“Army is ready in every manner, whether there is less snow or not and irrespective of the seasons, to stop infiltration. The Army has always been helping the people – whether in far flung areas whenever there is any slide and through various schemes under (Operation) ‘Sadbhavana'”, Lt Gen Dua said.
On the killing of a youth in firing on protestors in Natnussa village in North Kashmir’s Kupwara district a fortnight ago, the Army Commander said that such “unfortunate” incident would not happen henceforth as the they are working in “perfect synergy” with the police and the CRPF in the State.
Lt General Dua said that in Natnussa incident, the protesters had tried to break the gate and fence of the Army Camp that led to firing. “The Army does not deal with the protests. It is only the police or, at best, the CRPF that deals with protests. So, while we let them deal with protests, but in this unfortunate incident, they (protesters) had actually started breaking the gate and the fence of the Army Camp there”, he added.
“We are very confident that henceforth this will not happen, because we are working in perfect synergy with police and the CRPF,” said the GOC.
The protests broke out in Natnussa on April 15 after four people were killed in security forces firing in different areas in the district following allegations of molestation of a girl student by an Army man in Handwara.
Lt Gen Dua said the inquiry ordered by the Army into the incident and the subsequent firing is underway. “The inquiry is underway,” he said.
The Army Commander said that Border Roads Organization men work with dedication and their job is risky. “Every year the road closure period is reduced inspite of the fact that there are 56 active avalanche sites on the Sonamarg -Zojila area of the highway”, he said.
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