The Chief of the Army Staff, General Bipin Rawat, on Saturday visited the border region of Akhnoor in Jammu and Kashmir, amid political uncertainties in the State and ceasefire violations in the area.
Mr. Rawat’s visit came a day after a soldier was killed at Keri, near Akhnoor, in cross-border firing by Pakistani forces.
The Army said in a statement that Gen. Rawat was briefed on the “operational preparedness, prevailing security situation and actions being undertaken to ensure a robust and effective counter-infiltration grid”.
He reviewed the measures and standard operating procedures (SoPs) instituted and being followed by the units and formations.
The Army chief’s visit comes at a time when the Amarnath Yatra is under way with intelligence inputs about militant threats. On Saturday, a fresh batch of 2,986 Amarnath yatris left the base in Jammu for the cave shrine in Kashmir. The yatra will conclude on August 26, coinciding with Raksha Bandhan.
Amid the violence in the State, the political turmoil too continues. A BJP-led effort to form a government with support from PDP rebels is under way, even as the former Chief Minister and PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti warned that if her party split, it could have serious implications resulting in a new wave of militancy.