Maintain highest standards of alertness, professionalism: Northern Army Commander

Jammu, Nov 12: General Officer Commanding-in-Chief (GOC-in-C), Northern Command Lieutenant General M V Suchindra Kumar has exhorted all ranks to maintain “highest standards of alertness and professionalism in anti-terrorist operations.”

Lt Gen Suchindra Kumar made these remarks during his visit to the Army’s Nagrota-based White Knight (16) Corps to take stock of its operational readiness.

Following his visit, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) White Knight Corps, Lieutenant General Navin Sachdeva visited the Kishtwar sector to monitor ongoing counter-terror operations there. Lt Gen Sachdeva was accompanied by GOC CIF Delta and senior officers of Jammu and Kashmir Police and intelligence agencies. GOC 16 Corps stressed that perfect synergy among all the stakeholders was imperative to eliminate remaining threats.

The intense search operation is going on, in the dense forests of Kuntwara and Keshwan in Kishtwar and adjoining areas, following the killing of a Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) of Army’s Special Forces (2 Para) on November 10 in a fierce gunfight between security forces and hiding terrorists there.

Presumably, one or two groups of three to four terrorists are hiding in dense forests. It’s believed that they were behind the abduction and killing of two Village Defence Guards (VDGs) in Kuntwara forests on November 7.

Since then, an intensive joint combing operation has been going on there to hunt down hiding terrorists. It was during searches by the security forces following trails of terrorists that a contact was established by a group of Army Special Forces (2 Para). During the ensuing heavy exchange of fire, a Junior Commissioned Officer sustained fatal injuries and later succumbed in action.

Regarding the visit of Lt Gen Suchindra Kumar to 16 Corps, Northern Command on ‘X’ posted with pictures, “#LtGenMVSuchindraKumar, ArmyCdrNC, visited WhiteKnightCorps to review the operational preparedness. The #ArmyCdr exhorted all ranks to maintain the highest standards of professionalism and alertness in anti-terrorist operations.”

Later, White Knight Corps too shared glimpses of the visit of the 16 Corps Commander to Kishtwar Sector on its ‘X’ handle. “#GOC #WhiteKnightCorps, along with #GOC CIF #Delta, @JmuKmrPolice, and intelligence agencies, visited #Kishtwar sector to review ongoing counter-terror operations,” it posted.

“#GOC emphasized the need for close #synergy among all stakeholders to eliminate remaining threats and commended their unwavering commitment to maintaining #peace and #security in the region,” White Knight Corps’ post read.

A day after the VDGs’ killing also, the GOC White Knight Corps along with senior army commanders visited Kishtwar and areas of Bharat Ridge to review ongoing operations to hunt down terrorists. Past week also witnessed the visit of the Chief of the Army Staff (COAS), General Upendra Dwivedi to forward units in Kathua to take stock of the existing security situation and operational readiness of troops.

The Army Chief had also interacted with troops deployed in forward units of Rising Star Corps in Kathua and commended them for their high standards of professionalism and devotion to duty. Earlier on Friday, Gen Dwivedi, during his visit to the Western Command, had also toured forward operational areas in the Kathua-Pathankot sector.

He had an official briefing from the General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the Yol-based Rising Star Corps on the prevailing security situation and the operational readiness of the troops stationed there.

The Army Chief had lauded the personnel of Rising Star Corps for their professionalism and the recent success in counter-terrorism operations in the region, recognising their exemplary performance in ensuring the safety and security of the area.

Gen Dwivedi had asked the senior military leadership to stay well-informed about global geopolitical developments, reinforcing the need to continuously strengthen the Indian Army’s readiness to counter evolving threats from adversaries.