STATE TIMES NEWS
Jammu: Pakistan is making full efforts to infiltrate foreign terrorists into Jammu and Kashmir to hinder the progress being made in internal security conditions in the region, Northern Army Commander Lieutenant General Upendra Dwivedi said on Wednesday.
He said that the army has tried to neutralise foreign terrorists along the Line of Control (LoC) in Rajouri and Poonch.
“The biggest thing is that Pakistan is trying to make efforts from its side to send foreign terrorists here, despite the better internal conditions (security situation), so that they can create some kind of obstacle.
“This is because of the progress that we are making in Jammu and Kashmir,” Lt Gen Dwivedi told reporters on the sidelines of the North Tech Symposium at the IIT campus at Jagti on the outskirts of Jammu city.
He said that in 2022, over 1.88 crore tourists visited Jammu and Kashmir. “Our efforts are to have 2.25 crore tourists this year. They are trying to stop this journey of progress but we will not allow them to succeed,” he said. His remarks came on a day Colonel Manpreet Singh, Major Ashish and Deputy Superintendent of Jammu and Kashmir Police Humayun Bhat were killed in a gunfight with terrorists in Kokernag area of Kashmir’s Anantnag district.
Replying to another question about the Rajouri encounter, he said that in Poonch and Rajouri “we tried to neutralise foreign terrorists on Line of Control (LoC) itself”.
“But some come… and try to do some acts here. We have done good action in this recent encounter. One of jawan was martyred”, he said.
Two terrorists were killed in an encounter in the remote Narla village.
On the death of sniffer dog Kent in gunfire by ultras, he said, “Our Kent laid down his life to save his handler. He attacked the terrorist by moving ahead first.”
Kent, the six-year-old Army dog that was killed saving the life of a soldier during an encounter in Jammu and Kashmir, had participated in nine operations before this.
The female Labrador-type dog of 21st Army dog unit was killed on Tuesday while trying to save her handler in the Union Territory’s Rajouri district.
“Kent was leading a column of soldiers pursuing fleeing terrorists. It was shot dead by hostile fire,” a defence official said.
Kent’s body was wrapped in the tricolour, a wreath laid on it as Army personnel paid their last respects to her on Wednesday.
Carrying an Army number 08B2, golden-coloured Kent was a special tracker dog which participated in its first operation on Poonch link up day on November 14 last year, followed by the induction in operation on December 30 last year, a press brief released by the Army said.
Kent took part in search operations on January 27, September 11 and an investigation into a theft case on April 4.
She also took part in refresher courses and several training sessions to refine her skills.