Army Chief Chairs top commanders meeting in Srinagar

Army Chief, General Bipin Rawat, today took stock of the security situation after the spike in the cross-LoC firing between Indian and Pakistani troops and the increase in the incidents of militancy across Kashmir. All the seven commanders of Indian Army and the Director General of Military Operation (DGMO) were called in to Srinagar to review the security.

Rawat arrived here today to review the security situation and operational preparedness of the armed forces posted in Kashmir and along the Line of Control

“Gen Rawat and some senior Army officers arrived at Badamibagh Cantonment area this morning for a day-long visit,” said an Army official. He said the purpose of the Army Chief’s visit was to review the security situation and operational preparedness in the Valley.

The Chief of Army Staff was briefed by Corps Commander and other top officers about the situation in the Valley, especially after killing of top Hizbul Mujahideen commander Sabzar Bhat.

“He was also briefed about the situation along the Line of Control in the wake of reports of activity at infiltration launch pads on the other side of LoC,” the official added.

This is the second visit of Rawat to Kashmir in the last one month. Earlier Rawat had accompanied Defence Minister, Arun Jaitley, to review the security in Srinagar and he asked the Army to work towards ensuring a peaceful atmosphere here. Both Defence Minister and Rawat had asked the armed force personnel to help build peace in Kashmir and cautioned against use of any excessive force.

In today’s meet the escalation in the incidents of militancy was taken a strong note of and the Army Chief was given a detailed brief of the measures that have been taken to control the militancy. In the meeting both the rising incidents of militancy in Kashmir as well as the stepped up activity along the borders came up for discussion.

“The meeting was called to review the overall security situation amid heightened tension on the Line of Control (LoC) where India and Pakistan troops have been involved in exchanging constant fire,’’ said an official, adding that the conditions that prevailed due to the increase in militant attacks and the student unrest in the Valley also came up for the review.

“The impact of an unrest on the overall security situation was also discussed and the role that the Army can play to bring peace was discussed. During the review Minister also discussed the ways and means that can be adopted by the Army to help the civil administration bring the situation under control in the Kashmir region,” a top official said.

The situation in Kashmir had deteriorated as the Army killed HM militant Sabzar Bhat in an encounter.  The separatists had called for shutdowns to protest the top-rated militants killing.

On 24 May some militants including the suspected Kashmir chief of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) Abu Dujana escaped from the dragnet of security forces in Pulwama district, as a stone-pelting mob gave them cover. In another such incident in March, a group of nine heavily armed rebels were trapped in an open field near Kakapora. However, as troops moved in hundreds of villagers armed with stones descended on the field, to aid the militants.

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