Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, Dec 6: Chief of Army Staff, General Dalbir Singh Suhag, today said that the attack on Army at Uri in North Kashmir Baramulla district was a desperate attempt by militants to disrupt the democratic process in the State and made it clear that disrupting of the poll process is out of question.
Speaking to reporters on the side lines of the wreath laying ceremony of the Army personnel who were killed in Uri attack, the Army chief said: “It appears a desperate attempt to disrupt the third phase of elections. I assure the nation that these elements will not be allowed to succeed in disrupting the democratic process.”
The Army chief arrived this morning paid tributes to the slain troops by laying wreaths on their coffins at a ceremony at Badamibagh Cantonment here this morning.
While paying tributes who sacrificed their lives Gen Suhag said their sacrifice will not go waste. “I salute the brave soldiers who laid down their lives in the line of duty. Their sacrifice will not go waste. In fact, it will inspire us each of us,” he added.
Army chief also reviewed the security situation in the State in the aftermath of the attacks in which left 11 security men including Lt colonel and two civilians dead while security forces also shot dead eight militants. He was briefed by the top Army officers about the counter-insurgency and counter-infiltration measures.
Sources said that the militants who carried out attack on Army camp at Uri were on suicide mission and had carried out a reconnaissance a day before the attack. “They were eight in number while six took part in the attack. As per the matrix sheets, their target was the Army camp and had recently infiltrated from Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK)”, said sources.
Sources said that three teams of 4-para, the Army commandos, carried out swift operation against these six militants soon after they arrived to the camp. “They were carrying dry fruits, packed food and large quantity of arms and ammunition for prolonged gun battle. However, in the swift operation of the Army the gun battle lasted for only six hours”, sources added.
A statement issued by the defence spokesman said here that solemn ceremony at Badami Bagh Cantonment today, Gen Dalbir Singh Suhag, the Chief of the Army Staff, paid homage to the valiant soldiers of Dagger Division who had made the supreme sacrifice while eliminating six foreign terrorists at Mahura on December 5.
“Gen Dalbir Singh Suhag, the Army Chief, arrived in Srinagar at 10.30 a.m. today to take stock of the recent operations in which 12 terrorists had been eliminated by the brave soldiers of the Indian Army and to pay homage to the soldiers who attained martyrdom during these operations. He was received by Lt Gen DS Hooda, the Northern Army Commander, and Lt Gen Subrata Saha, the Chinar Corps Commander, on his arrival at Srinagar Airfield’, the spokesman said.
The spokesman further said: “In a solemn wreath laying ceremony conducted in the best traditions of the Indian Army, the Chinar Corps paid homage to the valiant soldiers who laid down their lives while battling the foreign militants at Mohura on December 5. The Army Chief, General Dalbir Singh Suhag, who had come from Delhi to be part of the Ceremony, saluted the martyrs and laid wreaths for them. The bodies of the martyrs were then sent by air to their home towns for the last rites which will be held as per the traditions of the Indian Army”, he added.
“The martyrs are Lt Col Sankalp Kumar, Havaldar Subhash Chand, Lansnaik Gurnail Singh, Naik Panna Lal Yadav, Gunner Satnam Singh, Lansnaik Sukhwinder Singh, DMT Kuldeep Kumar and Gunner Manpreet Singh were all part of the Valley’s Dagger Division”, the spokesman added.
The spokesman said that after the wreath laying ceremony, the Army chief was briefed at Chinar Corps headquarters on the two recent operations which resulted in the elimination of 12 militants. “He also took a stock of the State of security in the Valley in light of the ongoing elections. The Army chief expressed his satisfaction on the high State of alertness of the forces and commended their level of commitment and preparation which has ensured that the malafide intentions of our adversaries have not been able to dent the spirit of the population. Speaking about the two recent operations, he said that this was an attempt by inimical elements to disrupt the remaining phases of the polls as they were unnerved by the high voter turnout in the first two phases. The Army chief stated that peaceful atmosphere in which the polls have been conducted in the first two phases has been thanks to the efforts put in by all the security forces and he highlighted the role of the brave soldiers in the harshest of terrain and weather conditions, and the supreme sacrifice made, in order to ensure that the terrorists were prevented from reaching the populated areas and causing harm to innocent civilian lives. While stating that the nefarious designs of the adversary have been defeated, the Army chief concluded by saluting the brave soldiers who had laid down their lives in order to achieve this end”, the spokesman added.
In the meantime security has been intensified after the recent attacks and on the eve of Prime Minister, Narendra Modi’s election rally.
At sensitive places across Kashmir valley police and para-military forces had erected barricades and were checking vehicles to prevent any further militant strikes.
Police and CRPF frisked vehicles at Budshah Chowk, Budshah Bridge, Court Road Nowpora, Radio Kashmir crossing, Munawarabad, Kak Sarai, Baba Dawood Khaki Bridge, Shalteng, Rajbagh, Jawahar Nagar and several other places during the day. Check points were also established at entry and exit points of Srinagar city.
The SK Cricket Stadium at Sonwar where Modi, is scheduled to address the BJP rally has been sealed and Police, CRPF, Special Protection Group (SPG) and Special Security Guards (SSG) have positioned themselves in and around the stadium. The security men also conducted the sanitization of the stadium using land mine detectors and sophisticated gadgets.
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