Confident Army will wipe out terrorism: Rajnath in Jammu

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday said he had full faith in the Indian Army that it will wipe out terrorism from Jammu and Kashmir, even as he urged the troops to not make any such “mistakes” that may hurt the citizens of the country.

It is the responsibility of the troops to win the hearts of the people while performing their duty towards the security of the nation, said Singh, who arrived in Jammu and Kashmir earlier in the day to review the security situation.

The minister’s statement comes amid the outrage that sparked in the wake of three civilians being found dead in Poonch district on December 22 allegedly after they were picked up by the security forces for questioning in connection with an ambush on two army vehicles that had left four soldiers dead a day earlier.

Singh is on a day-long visit to Rajouri and Jammu following a terrorist ambush in Poonch on December 21.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday visited the border areas of Jammu and Kashmir and reviewed the security situation along the Line of Control (LoC), officials said.

Singh also carried out a firsthand assessment of the ongoing counter-terror operations in Rajouri and Poonch districts, they said.

Accompanied by Army chief General Manoj Pande and General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Northern Command Lt Gen Upendra Dwivedi and Lt Governor Manoj Sinha, the defence minister flew to Rajouri district after his arrival.

Addressing the troops at a military garrison in Rajouri, the defence minister lauded the troops for their bravery.

“I believe in your bravery and steadfastness Terrorism should be finished from Jammu and Kashmir and you need to move forward with this commitment. I have full faith that you will achieve victory,” Singh, flanked by General Pande and Lt Governor, said.

In an apparent reference to the killing of three civilians, the defence minister asked the troops to avoid “mistakes that hurt the citizens of the country.”

On his return from Rajouri, Singh visited Raj Bhawan and held a closed door security review meeting, the officials said.

They said the defence minister was briefed on the prevalent security situation, counter-infiltration grid and operational preparedness.