Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Sept 15: Northern Command chief Lt Gen DS Hooda today called for strengthening Anti-Infiltration and Anti-Militancy Grids along the Line of Control (LoC) in twin border districts of Poonch and Rajouri even as he assured full support of Army to the civil administration of Rajouri district in maintenance of law and order.
Lt Gen Hooda’s visit to border town of Poonch, where Army, CRPF and Police had gunned down four fidayeens of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) during recent gunbattle, comes a day after GOC Nagrota Corps Lt Gen RR Nimbhorkar visited the town and had detailed review of the situation in view of reports that all four Pakistani militants were part of freshly infiltrated group from the LoC.
Lt Gen Hooda met Army Commanders of Rajouri and Poonch including GOC 25 Div Major General DA Dwivedi, Brigade Commanders including 92 Brigade Incharge Brig A S Pandarkar and officers of civil and police administration in which he was briefed on the situation prevailing on the LoC in the twin border districts of Poonch and Rajouri especially presence of militants on Pakistan side of the LoC, activation of new launching pads and slight presence of militants and their Over Ground Workers (OGWs) in the hinterland.
The GOC-in-C Northern Command is understood to have called for further strengthening the Anti-Infiltration Grid along the LoC in Rajouri and Poonch districts along with Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) to thwart possible infiltration attempts into this side following reports that 150 to 170 militants were camping (on Pakistan side of the LoC) waiting for opportunity to infiltrate.
A Global Positioning System (GPS) recovered from the slain militants is being de-coded by the cyber experts to ascertain route taken by the militants to enter into this side of the LoC and then strike in Poonch town, where they killed a police jawan and injured seven others including three each police and Army personnel and a civilian before being gunned down in three-day long operation carried out jointly by Army, Police and CRPF.
Sources said Lt Gen Hooda reportedly called upon the Army Commanders to ensure that all infiltration routes were plugged and there was no scope left for the militants to infiltrate as they will try to accelerate intrusion bids before the winter sets-in. He called for greater coordination among security and Intelligence agencies to share available information with each other to tackle infiltration and incidents of militancy and declared that troops won’t allow militant designs of intrusions and disturbing peace here to succeed.
Lauding the spirit of cooperation displayed by the local population and synergy exhibited between Army, police and civil administration during three day long militant attack on the eve of Eid festival, Lt Gen Hooda reportedly said the way the militant attack was thwarted with minimum casualties of security personnel and civilians was commendable given the fact that militants were four in numbers and were well equipped with heavy weaponry, which was capable of causing extensive damage.
Reiterating appeal to the people to maintain calm and contribute towards restoration of peace in the region, Lt Gen Hooda said the Army was ready to meet with any kind of situation along the LoC as well as hinterland and won’t allow the designs of militants to succeed, who were trying to disturb peace not only in the Kashmir valley but also other parts of the State including Jammu region but declared that Army wouldn’t allow their designs to succeed.
The Army Commander also visited Rajouri district, where he reviewed the security situation and interacted with the civil administration and assured them of all possible assistance in maintaining normalcy in the border district.
During his visit to Poonch, Lt Gen Hooda honoured Haji Nazir Hussain Mir and his wife for displaying extraordinary courage and bravery on Day One of the gunbattle in Poonch and assisting the Army in successful anti-terrorist operation, which resulted in elimination of four terrorists.
Lt Gen Hooda honoured Haji Nazir Hussain Mir with Army Commander’s Commendation. His wife was also present on the occasion.
It may be mentioned here that the Haji and his wife had locked themselves inside the bathroom of the house when two militants entered their house ‘Mir Manzil’ while two others had stormed under-construction Mini Secretariat building. They acted very bravely before coming out of the house in the evening after both the militants were killed inside `Mir Manzil’. Their servant was, however, injured in initial round of gunfire by the militants.
The Northern Command chief also presented Army Commander’s commendation to SSP Poonch Jatinder Singh Johar for his sterling role in the operations by leading from the front, leading to successful operation in killing of four militants with just one fatal casualty of police and that too before start of counter operation by the security personnel.
Besides SSP Poonch Jatinder Singh Johar, Additional SP Poonch Masroor Mir also played important role in anti-militancy operations along with other police officers besides Army and CRPF officers and jawans.
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