Amir Karim Tantray

Tribune News Service

Poonch, September 28

The Army is mostly busy in tackling militancy in the hinterland and infiltration along the Line of Control (LoC), but when soldiers have some free time, they mingle with locals and win their hearts in different ways.In this border area, locals, mostly children, were seen treating men in olive green with great respect. Whenever an Army vehicle passed through a civilian area, children offered salute to soldiers. Officers and soldiers reciprocated with love and presented chocolates and sweets to the children. “This was not the case earlier when our battalion was posted on the forward post. Earlier, people used to stay away and children used to run away on seeing soldiers and our vehicles,” said Colonel Bhupinder Singh, Commanding Officer of the unit posted in the Poonch sector along the LoC. “But through our sustained efforts to mingle with people, we have been able to earn their love, respect and confidence,” said Colonel Bhupinder Singh. An Army officer stopped his vehicle and offered chocolates to children moving on the road. Due to this humane nature of the Army, people’s approach towards the Army has changed. “Such is the bonding now that children ask us about our well-being and that of our families,” the Commanding Officer said. Despite threat of infiltration, the Army has allowed locals to graze their cattle and perform agricultural activities near the forward posts. The local Army unit also comes to the help of locals when they are faced with any difficulty.