Army chief exhorts field commanders to take ops in professional manner in J&K

Jammu: Army Chief General Manoj Pande visited Jammu and Kashmir on Monday and exhorted commanders to conduct operations in the “most professional manner”, amid an outrage over the killing of three civilians picked up by the force for questioning following a terrorists attack in Poonch last week that left four soldiers dead.

The Chief of Army Staff (CoAS), who visited the ground zero in Poonch-Rajouri sector where a massive anti-terrorism operation is underway, also asked the troops to remain resolute and steadfast against all challenges.

In a related development, the Army initiated a Court of Inquiry as police lodged a murder case against unknown persons over the death of the three civilians, while a brigadier-level officer was shifted, the officials said. The three civilians, aged between 27 and 42, were picked up by the Army for questioning after the terrorist ambushed two Army vehicles on Thursday at Dhatyar Morh between Dhera Ki Gali and Buffliaz in Poonch. The three were found dead on December 22.

‘General Manoj Pande #COAS visited #Poonch sector and was given an update on the prevalent security situation. #COAS interacted with commanders on ground, exhorted them to conduct the operations in the most professional manner and remain resolute & steadfast against all challenges,’ the Additional Directorate General of Public Information (ADGPI) of the Indian Army posted on X.

Earlier, a defence spokesman in Jammu said the Army chief reached Jammu in the afternoon and immediately left for the Rajouri-Poonch sector to review the operational preparedness and the prevailing security situation.

The officials said General Pande visited Dhera Ki Gali and reviewed the anti-terrorist operation going on in Surankote and nearby Rajouri district’s Thanamandi forest belt for the last five days to neutralise the terrorists behind the dastardly attack on December 21.

The Army chief later flew to the 25 Infantry division headquarters in Rajouri and was briefed by the commanders on the ground about the overall security situation, they said.

Northern Command General Officer Commanding-in-chief Lt Gen Upendra Dwivedi and Jammu-based White Knight Corps’ General Officer Commanding Lt Gen Sandeep Jain accompanied the army chief. Both of them along with senior civil and police officers are camping in the twin districts of Rajouri and Poonch to supervise the anti-terrorist operation and maintain law and order.