General Bipin Rawat with Lt Gen D Anbu in Jammu on Friday.

Tribune News Service

Jammu, July 28

In the wake of heightened tension along the Line of Control (LoC) in Rajouri and Poonch districts, Army Chief Gen Bipin Rawat today reached Jammu for a two-day visit to review the prevailing security situation and operational preparedness of the Army.General Rawat was received by Northern Command chief Lt Gen D Anbu; Lt Gen AK Sharma, GOC, White Knight Corps (16 Corps); and Maj Gen SK Sharma, GOC, Tiger Division, at the technical airport here this morning. “Immediately after his arrival in Jammu, the top Army officers left for forward areas in Nowshera, Bhimber Gali and Krishna Ghati sectors of Rajouri and Poonch districts in a helicopter where he was briefed in detail about the actions being undertaken to ensure a robust counter-infiltration grid,” Army sources said.“General Rawat complimented the troops for their unflinching efforts and reiterated the need to remain prepared to counter the nefarious designs of the adversary,” Col NN Joshi, spokesperson of Udhampur-based Northern Command, said in an official statement.The spokesperson said the Chief of the Army Staff also visited Rajouri where he was briefed on the Army’s operational readiness by the GOC, Ace of Spades Division.Later, General Rawat visited the White Knight Corps to review the prevailing security situation in the zone.“The Army Chief was briefed by Lt Gen AK Sharma, GOC, about the preparedness of the White Knight Corps in dealing with the emerging and dynamically changing security situation and the measures taken to thwart any misadventure by inimical forces,” the spokesperson said. Pertinently, the troops of India and Pakistan have been engaged in skirmishes on the LoC, the de facto border between India and Pakistan that had caused human loss on both sides, besides triggering mass migration.

Praises troops

• General Rawat was briefed about the actions being undertaken to ensure a robust counter-infiltration grid, said Army sources
• He complimented the troops for their unflinching efforts and reiterated the need to remain prepared to counter the nefarious designs of the adversary

Arun Jaitley. File photo

New Delhi, July 26

Defence Minister Arun Jaitley and the three Service chiefs on Wednesday paid glowing tributes to armed forces personnel who laid down their lives in the Kargil war.Jaitley accompanied by Army Chief General Bipin Rawat, Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Sunil Lanba, and Air Chief Marshal Birender Singh Dhanoa, paid homage to Kargil war heroes at the Amar Jawan Jyoti here.“Salute to the valour of our soldiers on #KargilVijayDiwas,” Jaitley tweeted on the occasion.Kargil Vijay Diwas is observed on this day every year, marking successful conclusion of the war with Pakistan in the Kargil-Drass sector of Jammu and Kashmir in 1999.The Indian soldiers successfully gained back the high-altitude outposts occupied by Pakistani intruders culminating in Operation Vijay on the day.Over 500 Indian armed forces personnel laid down their lives during the 60-day-long war. PTI

Imphal: A jawan was killed and three others were injured when suspected militants ambushed an Assam Rifles party in Ukhrul district of Manipur on Thursday. The ultras exploded an improvised explosive device (IED) at Kashung about 11.15 am, the police said. The deceased was identified as Havildar Rohit. The injured were airlifted to the Leimakhong Army Hospital in Imphal. — PTI

Mistaken for ultra, civilian killed in Army firing in Arunachal

Bijay Sankar Bora

Tribune News Service

Guwahati, June 15

A civilian was killed by troops of Assam Rifles during a counter-insurgency operation at Kangsa Basti in Changlang district of Arunachal Pradesh in the wee hours today.Though the Army called it a case of mistaken identity, locals staged a protest alleging that an innocent civilian identified as Thingtu Nimu was shot dead without a reason.Kohima-based defence spokesman Colonel Chiranjeet Konwer said: “The Army had laid an ambush in Kangsa Basti of Changlang district after receiving intelligence inputs about movement of a group of hardcore terrorists in the area. A man made very suspicious movements and on being challenged he rushed towards the ambush party. This forced the Army to open controlled fire, which resulted in his death. It is a case of mistaken identity.”The Army has been engaged in counter-insurgency operations in insurgents-infested Changlang, Tirap and Longding districts of Arunachal Pradesh bordering Myanmar.The killing of the civilian in Changlang district comes just a couple of days after Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, during an India-Myanmar border area situation review meeting at Aizawl, told the Assam Rifles, which is operating along the India-Myanmar border, to exercise restrain while dealing with people living in the bordering areas.

Army says…

• An ambush was laid in Kangsa Basti of Changlang district after the Army received intelligence inputs about movement of a group of hardcore terrorists in the area
• A man made ‘very suspicious’ movements and on being challenged he rushed towards the ambush party
• This forced the Army to open controlled fire, which resulted in his death. The Army termed it a case of mistaken identity

Tribune News Service

Guwahati, July 20

The Army today handed over a terminal benefit cheque for Rs 75 lakh to the parents of Major David Manlun, who was killed during a gunfight with insurgents in Mon district of Nagaland on June 6 this year.The GOC, 101 Area, Lt Gen DS Ahuja handed over the cheque at their residence at Madanrting in Shillong.During the operation in which Major David was killed, three militants were also killed and the Army recovered an AK-56 assault rifle and two Chinese AK series rifles, two grenades, three IEDs and 270 live rounds of AK-series ammunition.The 32-year-old officer of the 164 Brigade of the Territorial Army was born and brought up in Shillong though his family originally hails from Manipur.Lt Gen Ahuja said the Major showed exemplary courage in operations against insurgents in Nagaland.His family was also scheduled to get Rs 40-50 lakh, including ex gratia from the Centre. The Meghalaya Government has promised to give Rs 7.5 lakh to the family.Mannuam Niang said her son was an example for the country. “If we follow what my son has done for the country, there will be peace in the entire country,” she said, adding that she felt proud of his sacrifice

INDIANS DO RESPECT AND SALUTE DEFENCE FORCES BUT DONOT WANT TO SEND THEIR CHILDREN IN FORCES

Police officials inspect an armoured vehicle in Bathinda on Wednesday. Tribune photo: Pawan sharma

Varinder Singh

Tribune News Service

Bathinda/Faridkot, June 14

The Punjab Police have come out with 16 bulletproof combat vehicles to counter gangsters during encounters.These specially designed, light armoured vehicles based on the Mahindra Scorpio platform and branded as ‘Scorpio Rakshak Plus’ have been stationed at sensitive points in districts on the Indo-Pak border, districts bordering Haryana and Rajasthan and in the Commissionerates of Jalandhar, Ludhiana and Amritsar.The plan to purchase these was conceived by the state police after the Dinanagar terror attack when they had to requisition such vehicles from Jammu and Kashmir. But the project has seen the light of day during the incumbent Congress government.“We have got a bullet-proof ‘Scorpio Rakshak Plus’ today. It not only has bulletproof steel shells but also bulletproof glasses with holes for firing from inside the vehicle. There is an opening in the top to mount and operate a light machine gun (LMG),” said Bathinda SSP Navin Singla.MS Chhina, IG, Bathinda zone, said the vehicles would be useful in Bathinda, Mansa, Faridkot, Fazilka and Ferozepur districts, which shared borders with Haryana and Rajasthan and also for police officials deployed in districts along the Indo-Pak border where drug smugglers were active.ADGP (Law and Order) Rohit Chaudhary said these 16 ‘moving bunkers’ have been allocated to border districts and important cities like Bathinda, Jalandhar and Mohali. “Our troops will be ready with minimum response time to tackle any armed conflict with gangsters and other outlaws,” he said.

Subedar Shashi Kumar

Shyam Sood

Rajouri, July 19

A civilian was injured when the Pakistan army resorted to heavy shelling along the Line of Control for the four consecutive day today, even as a soldier succumbed to his injuries a day after he was wounded in ceasefire violation.Subedar Shashi Kumar,  injured in mortar shelling on a forward post in Nowshera sector yesterday, succumbed to his injuries at the Army hospital in Udhampur.(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)A resident of Himachal Pradesh, he was airlifted to the Command Hospital in Udhampur for specialised treatment, but died around 8 am. After putting in 28 years of service, Kumar was scheduled to retire next month.The Pakistan army resorted to heavy mortar shelling and small/automatic weapon fire around 9 am in the Balakot sector as also in Poonch and Manjakot sectors. Ahmed Raza, 32, a resident of Sandote, Balakot, was injured in the shelling.Unprovoked shelling has crippled normal life in the border villages. On Tuesday, the Pakistan army targeted Indian forward posts and villages along the LoC in Mendhar, Balakot (Poonch), Manjakot and Nowshera (Rajouri). Sepoy Jaspreet Singh from Moga was killed in the Kalsian area in Nowshera sector yesterday. 

Smoke rises from the area in Nowshera shelled by Pakistan.

Jammu, June 12

The Pakistani army this morning violated ceasefire in the Krishna Ghati sector and Nowshera sector of Poonch and Rajouri district, respectively.“The Pakistani army initiated indiscriminate firing with small arms, automatics and mortars in the Krishna Ghati sector from 6.20 am today. At 8.45 am, the Pakistani army started unprovoked firing with small arms, RPGs, recoilless rifles and mortars in the Lam area of Nowshera sector. The Indian Army responded strongly and effectively,” the Jammu-based defence PRO said.“In the Krishna Ghati sector, the firing ended at 8.15 am, while in the Lam area, it ended at 10.10 am,” the PRO said.Since Saturday night, the Pakistani army has violated the mutually agreed truce on the Line of Control (LoC) six times. The Indian Army has responded in equal measure. Meanwhile, the cross-border firing has brought back fear among people living in villages along the LoC. — TNS

Lance Naik Ranjit Singh’s wife Neha Devi and daughter Kajal wail as his body reached home at Burn village, 25 km from Jammu, on Friday. Tribune Photo: Inderjeet Singh

Soldiers and villagers carry the coffin of Ranjit Singh at Burn village on Friday. Tribune Photo: Inderjeet Singh

Amir Karim Tantray

Kajal, daughter of Lance Naik Ranjit Singh, cries as his body reached home for the last rites at Burn village on Friday. Tribune Photo: Inderjeet Singh

Tribune News Service

Aghore, July 14

Last rites of the two soldiers who were killed in a ceasefire violation by the Pakistani army in Keran sector on Wednesday were conducted amid full military honours today.Their mortal remains were brought in a military aircraft from Srinagar this morning. A wreath-laying ceremony was held at the Satwari cantonment area and after that, their bodies were taken to their respective homes.Nine-year-old Kartik, son of martyr Lance Naik Ranjit Singh, while lighting his father’s pyre on the banks of the Chenab today, vowed to become an Army officer to take revenge from the Pakistani army. A lot of people had gathered at Ranjit’s house to pay their last respects to him and offer condolences to his family.Women were trying to console his mother and wife but his father and uncle too burst into tears when the body reached home.Meanwhile, the body of rifleman Satish Bhagat, the youngest son of the Bhagat family of Gurasinghu village on the outskirts of Jammu, was dressed up like a groom by his family for the cremation.“Being the youngest among the four siblings, the family was planning to make his wedding a big event. Recently, his sister was married and now, everybody was hoping to find a suitable match for Satish. However, God had planned something else for him,” said Ramesh Kumar, a villager.