Army chief visits Pargwal, Tiger Divn
*Reviews security situation, preparedness of troops
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, May 31: Army chief Gen Upendra Dwivedi reviewed security situation and operational preparedness of the troops in Pargwal sector of Akhnoor area on the Line of Control (LoC) and Tiger Division here before flying back to New Delhi on conclusion of two-day visit during which he also attended high-level meeting for Shri Amarnath yatra arrangements and general security in Jammu and Kashmir which was chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
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During his visits to Pargwal sector which witnessed intense shelling in civilian areas by the Pakistani troops during Operation Sindoor and Tiger Division, the Army chief called for staying agile and vigilant in response to evolving security dynamics.
He reviewed operational preparedness and commended troops for their outstanding performance in Operation Sindoor.
Gen Dwivedi also acknowledged the valuable contribution of ex-servicemen in supporting the armed forces during Operation Sindoor.
He also praised the BSF’s close operational integration with the Army and lauded the bravery of Assistant Commandant Neha Bhandari and her team for defending the forward posts in the Akhnoor sector of Jammu. He felicitated BSF Constable Ravinder Singh with Commendation Disc in recognition of his exemplary courage and bravery during Operation Sindoor.
The BSF played crucial role during Operation Sindoor on the International Border in Jammu, Samba and Kathua districts by destroying several posts and launch pads across the border from where Pakistan was trying to facilitate infiltration of the terrorists. Nearly a dozen terrorists were killed on the border.
Before returning to New Delhi, the Army chief awarded BSF Assistant Commandant Neha Bhandari with the Commendation Disc for her exceptional courage and operational proficiency during Operation Sindoor in the Jammu frontier.
Commanding a border outpost within eyeball-to-eyeball contact of a Pakistani post along the International Border, the Assistant Commandant led her troops to silence three forward hostile posts across the zero line (the area closest to enemy territory) by giving a befitting reply.
Neha, a third-generation officer from her family in Uttarakhand, takes pride in being part of the BSF and commanding a border outpost in the Pargwal forward area of the Akhnoor sector in the Jammu district during Operation Sindoor.
During his two-day visit to the Jammu region, the Chief of Army Staff also visited Nagrota-based 16 Corps headquarters and Sunderbani sector along Line of Control (LoC) in Rajouri district where he interacted with Army Commanders on security situation in the region.
“Anti-terror operations in upper reaches of Kathua, Udhampur, Doda, Kishtwar, Rajouri and Poonch districts figured prominently during the meeting the Army chief had with the Commanders at 16 Corps,” the sources said, adding the Anti-Infiltration Grid on LoC in twin border districts of Rajouri and Poonch is fully strengthened no ensure that no terrorist managed to infiltrate from Pakistan.
The Army chief reached here on Thursday and also attended high-level security review meeting on Jammu and Kashmir chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah at the Raj Bhawan here.
Security and other arrangements for Shri Amarnath yatra and intensification of anti-terror operations were discussed in the meeting among other issues.
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