Conduct ops in 'most professional manner': Army Chief to troops in J&K

A spokesperson for the Indian Army said that Chief of Army Staff, General Manoj Pande visited the Poonch sector and was given an update on the prevalent security situation. The visit by the Army Chief comes five days after the ambush attack which left four soldiers dead and three others injured.

Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir): Chief of Army Staff, General Manoj Pande on Monday visited the Poonch sector of Jammu and Kashmir to review the security scenario along the Line of Control in the backdrop of the recent ambush attack on soldiers which left at least four soldiers dead and three others injured, a Defence spokesperson said.

General Pande exhorted commanders to conduct operations in the "most professional manner", amid an outrage over the killing of three civilians picked up by the force for questioning following the Poonch attack.

An Army spokesperson said that General Pande visited the Poonch sector and was given an update on the prevalent security situation. “General Manoj Pande interacted with commanders on ground, exhorted them to conduct the operations in the most professional manner and remain resolute and steadfast against all challenges,” the spokesperson said.

The visit of the Army Chief comes five days after four soldiers were killed and three others injured when a heavily armed group of militants attacked soldiers traveling to the site of a cordon and search operation at a blind curve at Dhatyar Morh between Dhera Ki Gali and Bufliaz on December 21. A day after the attack, the Army picked several locals for questioning of which three civilians were allegedly tortured to death by the soldiers in custody.

Purported videos of the alleged torture showed up on the internet in which soldiers were seen stripping the men and assaulting them with rods and sprinkling chilli powder on their private parts. Following an uproar from common people and regional mainstream political parties, the Jammu and Kashmir government on Saturday said that it has initiated “legal action” into the incident.

The Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha led administration also announced compensation to the families of the victims and jobs to the Next of Kin. The Army has also reportedly initiated a Court of Inquiry against the accused soldiers and effected transfers at the Command level.