The terror strike took place at the crack of dawn when the terrorists, believed to be foreign mercenaries, entered the police complex in the worst-hit Pulwama district.
Apart from rescuing hundreds of lives during the devastating deluge that wreaked havoc in the region, the army also took care of several babies born at government hospitals.
'It's a matter of great pride that no student of Army Goodwill Schools has ever joined terrorism.'
The field intelligence units of the Army coupled with inputs comprising HUMINT (human intelligence) and TECHINT (technical intelligence) indicate that around 300 terrorists, mainly of the banned Hizbul Mujahideen and Lashker-e-Taiba (LeT), are waiting across the border to sneak in, officials said, citing reports from Srinagar collated in the national capital.
The valley is under the iron grip of the armed forces and Pakistan does not have the military power or political support to change the status quo, observes Colonel Anil A Athale (retd), after a recent visit to Kashmir.
Over 40 km of the three-tier border fencing and flood-lighting have been damaged by the recent floods along the LoC and IB in Jammu and Kashmir and security forces are racing against time to repair it to prevent cross-border infiltration ahead of winters.
"As temperatures go up and the snow starts melting, our neighbouring country Pakistan tries to push more and more terrorists into our land. But our army is alert (to scuttle the attempts)," General Officer Commanding of Srinagar-based 15 corps Lt Gen Om Prakash told reporters on the sidelines of a function in Rangreth.
The Indian Army on Tuesday said the ceasefire violation along the Line of Control in Kashmir, which left two soldiers dead, was part of terrorists' plan to infiltrate into the Valley before the natural passes are closed by snowfall.
Pakistan army again violated bilateral ceasefire in the Mendhar sector of the Line of Control in Jammu region on Sunday.
Aurangzeb was abducted when he was on his way home in Rajouri district for Eid celebrations.
"Talks are the only option," Mehbooba said. "How long can you have a confrontation?"
'I am aware that mention of a threat to Gulmarg emanating from my perception may send negative signals to tourists but there are realities which need to be taken stock of.' 'Gulmarg is not far from Srinagar and is what the army calls in its parlance "a big name place." Such places draw attention much faster when negative incidents take place and give value of eyeball attraction.'
'As long as Pakistan exists, the situation will not stabilise and violence is bound to erupt from time to time.' 'Though not a final solution, a step that could help localise the abscess -- trifurcate Jammu and Kashmir state into three parts: Jammu, Ladakh and the Valley.'
Mansi, the Labrador, received an enemy bullet, something which was enough to provoke her handler who started firing relentlessly at the infiltrators in Jammu and Kashmir
Lieutenant General Syed Ata Hasnain (retd), former general officer in commanding, 15 Corps, explains what may have happened during the Indian Army's anti-terrorist operation in Kashmir in which four soldiers and one policemen, including the commanding officer 21 Rashtriya Rifles, made the supreme sacrifice for the Motherland.
Ahead of the assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, army on Monday said that the infiltration attempts along the Line of Control are on with the militants employing a "desperate" trend by pushing in IEDs and huge cache of weapons in the state.
'That cannot be done till they roam around free, get money from Pakistan and seek attention.' 'The cycle of violence was very cleverly generated.' 'During night patrolling when it was discovered that dumper trucks were unloading heaps of stones in various places, it was the first indicator that there would be trouble.' 'Wherever stones were dumped, the stones were taken by the police to construction sites.' 'It was a laborious task, but we did it rigorously.' 'We had to use some smart tactics and soft skills to defeat the cycle of violence.''
'The Chinese fault lines are tremendous and we need to exploit them.'
'The one aspect which no Indian military thinker would wish to see emerge is a LoC type of posture at the LAC.' 'The LoC is manned for 750 km and terrorist infiltration has led to the creation of a virtual fortress along its entire length.' 'Something mirroring this at the LAC is going to be expensive although deployment everywhere is not warranted there.' 'However, given the complete trust deficit, there appear few alternatives,' notes Lieutenant General Syed Ata Hasnain (retd).
'The thin line is a permanent dilemma with soldiers. You have to appreciate that in that dilemma and chaos there are officers who stand and lead their men.
Pakistani troops continued breaching the ceasefire along the LoC for the fourth successive day on Saturday by resorting to unprovoked firing and shelling, while two persons have been injured and several houses damaged in Jammu region overnight due to the violation.
Around 200 heavily armed militants were waiting across the Line of Control to infiltrate into the Indian side even as the security forces foiled several attempts by the ultras to sneak into KashmirValley following the recent floods.
In the wake of stone pelting incidents and alleged presence of Islamic State flag during a rally in Srinagar, Army on Thursday said it is closely monitoring the situation and the issue was getting the highest concern of all security agencies.
The Indian Army on Saturday said the announcement of the ban on Hafiz Saeed-led Jamaat-ud-Dawa by Pakistan were "good moves" but the effect of these steps needs to be gauged on the ground.
'If you behave like a nail, the adversary will behave like a hammer.'
The army has launched a major anti-infiltration operation against militants and suspected Pakistan special troops holed up in an area in Keran sector along Line of Control in which five Indian soldiers have been injured.
After spending 40 years in the Indian Army, Lieutenant General Subrata Saha marches into the electoral battlefield as the BJP candidate from Rashbehari.
The Army on Sunday said it had enough evidence to show that the six terrorists who carried out the attack on an Army camp in Uri belonged to the Lashkar-e-Tayiba and were supported by the Pakistani establishment.
What happens when a Delhi professor is given the rare opportunity to travel with the Pakistan army along the LoC? Find out in this fascinating excerpt from Happymon Jacob's book, The Line of Control: Travelling With The Indian And Pakistani Armies.
After shelling border hamlets along the Line of Control in Poonch, Pakistani troops resorted to heavy firing of mortar bombs, small and automatic weapons in Jammu region overnight leaving two persons injured.
'India is not the India of 1962. We are not carrying that baggage of history anymore.'
'A couple of Pulwamas will bring the two nations to war and it will be limited to J&K itself.'
'Pakistan thinks it is winning this low intensity conflict.' 'It is a serious observation. Half the battle is convincing your adversary that he cannot make headway.' 'A lot depends on how the internal professional management of the army and the handling of situations that are bound to rise sooner than later in his command, are done.'
On Monday, Colonel Rai had won the Yudh Seva medal. A day later, he fell to bullets.
The Indian Army on Tuesday said that it was moving ahead with 'unprecedented speed to initiate investigation' in the Chattergam firing incident in which two youth were killed and two others critically wounded on Monday evening.
He said there has been a spurt in infiltration attempts from across the LoC, but the army foiled most of these bids as is evident from the encounters taking place near the LoC.
'The scope of cordon and search operations has changed drastically.' 'Operations are now more focused, intelligence driven and involve very small cordons with minimum inconvenience to the people.' 'This has been the humanisation of conflict.' 'It has come to be institutionalised in the army's concept.' 'General Rawat has been schooled in this thinking and when he makes a statement it is with full consciousness of the institutionalised concept,' says Lieutenant General Syed Ata Hasnain (retd), the former GOC 15 Corps in Srinagar and the officer acclaimed as the 'People's General'.
"Since the Hyderpora attack of June 24, there have been a series of successful operations both on LoC and in the hinterland area. We have killed 28 terrorists in this period, out of which 18 were eliminated on the LoC and 10 in the hinterland," GOC of Srinagar-based 15 Corps Lt Gen Gurmeet Singh told reporters in Srinagar.
'If the strength of foreign terrorists can be brought to negligible levels there will be few takers for militancy.' 'That is why it is important to neutralise the terrorists at their launch pads,' advises Lieutenant General Syed Ata Hasnain (retd).
Pakistan perceives that if it had declared Gilgit-Baltistan, PoK or both, which are only a part of the territories of J&K, as legitimate provinces of Pakistan it would weaken its case for the entire J&K and lead to legal complications, observes Lieutenant General Syed Ata Hasnain (retd).
