GOC White Knight Corps calls on LG

Jammu, Jan 13: General Officer Commanding (GOC) White Knight Corps (16 Corps) Lieutenant General Navin Sachdeva Saturday called on the Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha at Raj Bhavan to brief him about the prevailing security situation.

During the meeting, Lt Gen Sachdeva also updated LG Sinha about the army’s outreach to people – an oblique reference to its (army’s) adoption of Topi Peer village on the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch, besides other measures.

The excellent synergy among security forces on the ground to wipe out terrorism and its eco-system too figured in the deliberations.

The meeting came a day after the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief (GOC-in-C) Northern Command Lt Gen Upendra Dwivedi, accompanied by Lt Gen Sachdeva, reviewed the operational preparedness of troops in Rajouri sector.

Twin border districts of Rajouri and Poonch have emerged as a major area of concern for the security forces in Jammu region, following spurt in terror incidents in the past three years or so. The security forces have suffered major reverses in the recent past in the sub-region, which has seen resurgence of terrorism after witnessing a relative calm for a decade or so.

On Friday also, the suspected terrorists had fired upon an army convoy, though, fortunately no loss was reported.

“Lt Gen Navin Sachdeva, #GOC #WhiteknightCorps called on Lieutenant Governor Sh Manoj Sinha at Rajbhavan today. He briefed him on the present security situation, #IndianArmy outreach to the Awam and synergy with other security forces,” the White Knight Corps wrote on ‘X’ on Saturday.

Earlier on Friday, during comprehensive deliberations with senior army commanders and the heads and officers of other security forces including JKP and CRPF, the Northern Army Commander had taken stock of operational dynamics of 2023 and the prevailing security situation along the LoC and the hinterland in Rajouri and Poonch. During a security review meeting, a stratagem for 2024 was also chalked out for operational focus with a resolute determination to work in synergy to achieve the desired end state, eradicating roots of terrorism in the Poonch-Rajouri area.

Lt Gen Dwivedi had appreciated the (army) formation for its outreach to people of Rajouri and Poonch and for its initiative to adopt Topi Peer as a model village under Operation Sadbhavana.

A sleepy hamlet on the Line of Control, Topi Peer village had come into focus after the Dehra Ki Gali terrorist attack on army vehicles. Three civilians from the village picked up by the army for questioning were found dead.

In the wake of anger among civilians, to sooth the frayed nerves and assuage the hurt sentiments, the civil administration and army had taken immediate desired measures including ordering inquiry. The Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, in particular, accompanied by LG Sinha, during their visit to Rajouri after the DKG terror attack in December, 2023, had cautioned the troops to not to “commit any mistakes which could hurt any citizen of India.”

“You have to win the hearts of citizens as well besides winning the war against terrorism,” was his advice for troops for outreach to people.

Lt Gen Sachdeva on January 1 assumed the charge of the General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the army’s elite White Knight Corps or 16 Corps and had exhorted all ranks to always remain “combat-ready to thwart the nefarious designs of adversaries and inimical forces while being in complete synergy with civil administration and paramilitary forces.”