The alleged torture of five civilians by Army personnel in Kishtwar has triggered angry reactions from various political parties in Jammu and Kashmir, notably from Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who has demanded a transparent investigation and court martial for those found guilty.
"2000 to 2500 armed militants in Pakistan training camps are ready to infiltrate into Jammu and Kashmir," Brigadier General of Staff, 16 Corps, Brigadier Gurdeep Singh told media-persons at Nagrota Corps headquarters in Jammu on Monday.He said there were approximately 42 training camps across the border out of which 34 are active.
One terrorist was killed on Monday as special forces were mobilised to neutralise a group of recently infiltrated ultras who attacked an army convoy in a village in the Akhnoor sector near Jammu, officials said.
Army Chief Gen Dalbir Singh Suhag on Wednesday visited the Nagrota-based 16 Corps headquarters and was briefed about Tuesday's terror attack in which seven officers and jawans were killed, even as combing operation to flush out any remaining militant continued.
Bravery of the wives of two army officers who were staying in the family quarters helped in averting a major hostage crisis during the encounter that took place in Nagrota area of Jammu on Tuesday.
'The devious minds across the border will test us to the hilt, but in the course of that will offer us opportunities for which we must be prepared,' says Lieutenant General Syed Ata Hasnain (retd), who commanded the Uri Brigade, the Baramulla Division and the Srinagar-based Chinar Corps.
Security and defence experts have called for immediate strengthening of the security management and intelligence network along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu region, which witnessed the killing of 59 people, including 24 security personnel and 28 terrorists, in terror incidents this year.
The Army has said that Agniveer Amritpal Singh committed suicide by shooting himself while on sentry duty and that military honours were not extended to his funeral as deaths arising out of self-inflicted injuries are not given such honours.
Another soldier was seriously injured in the incident and was evacuated immediately to the Army Hospital at Rajouri, they said.
Army's counter-terrorism operation in the Nar Khas forest area of Poonch continued on Friday morning.
'In one instance of the Pakistani army's violation of the Ceasefire, I ordered a far tougher response designed to deter the enemy.' 'I warned that 'unexpected damage' to their forces will be inflicted if they continued with such ceasefire violations.' A fascinating excerpt from Lieutenant General K Himalay Singh's Making of a General: A Himalayan Echo.
"There are floods. Large number of leaders try to portray militant groups in a good way. A number of militant groups have sent their elements to Balochistan and Sindh for helping people affected by floods," Lt Gen Singh said.
"Lt Col Indranuj Borhain was washed away by flash floods, while he was engaged in repairing work on a causeway at Nagrota," Spokesman Col S D Goswami told PTI. The army had launched a rescue operation soon after the incident around 6 am, but could not save the officer, he said.
Army Chief Gen Bikram Singh was on Wednesday briefed about the security situation in the wake of the killing of five Indian jawans along the Line of Control in Poonch in Jammu and Kashmir.
Army Chief General Dalbir Singh Suhag on Tuesday visited the forward areas in Rajouri and Jammu districts and reviewed the overall security situation in the region.
The Indian Army's Northern Command would be stretched if all three of the corps under it -- based in Leh, Srinagar, and Nagrota (near Jammu) -- were to face hostilities, notes David Devadas.
The 42-year-old officer, Lt Col Madukar Singh Choudhan, was found lying unconscious in his room on Thursday evening and was shifted to a hospital where he was declared brought dead, police said.
Congress sources said party president Rahul Gandhi met Lt Gen Hooda and discussed the modalities of the panel.
'China is likely to help Pakistan in keeping the fire burning in J&K to bleed India for its own interests.' A fascinating excerpt from Lieutenant General K Himalay Singh's Making of a General: A Himalayan Echo.
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Stating that militants attempt to enter into Jammu and Kashmir before the onset of winter, General Officer Commanding (GoC) of 16 Corps Lt Gen K H Singh on Saturday claimed that there are "150 to 200 militants" staged in various camps on the other side of the border in a bid to infiltrate into this side.
The army chief said that radicalisation in Kashmir was being addressed with a "lot of seriousness"
"The army chief chief reviewed the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir and also operational preparedness of Northern Command at a high-level meeting," officials said.
The defence ministry spokesman refused to confirm or deny any such operation.
In the first ceasefire violation this month, Pakistani troops on Tuesday targeted Indian forward posts with small arms and automatic weapons along the Line of Control in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir, prompting Indian forces to retaliate.
A bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice Jayant Nath issued notice to the Ministry of Defence, saying that "we want to know your response" and listed the matter for hearing on February 3 next year.
Pakistan army again violated bilateral ceasefire in the Mendhar sector of the Line of Control in Jammu region on Sunday.
'This is what we train for: That one chance to deliver a blow so lethal that the enemy will constantly think about it when planning any misadventure.'
'A stronger response on the border, some action needs to be taken against Pakistan from where the terrorists come, and finally what needs to be done is to calm Kashmir down,' Lieutenant General D S Hooda (retd) -- the Northern Army Commander under whose watch the Indian Army conducted the 2016 surgical strikes -- tells Rediff.com in an exclusive interview.
Ties with Pakistan and China which were on the centre stage of Indian diplomacy saw a "deterioration" in the year gone by, according to foreign policy experts who feel that the relationships are unlikely to see any forward movement in the new year.
'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.'
'We need to be in a perpetual state of aggression, and able to swiftly change the goal posts to keep Pakistan in a state of imbalance,' argues Sanjeev Nayyar.
'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.''
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