Around 400 terrorists still active in state: army chief

Underscoring the need to remain vigilant and continuing with intelligence-based surgical operations, army chief Gen Bikram Singh has cautioned that around 400 terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir are still active and intelligence reports allude to higher level of infiltration.

Underscoring the need to remain vigilant and continuing with intelligence-based surgical operations, army chief Gen Bikram Singh has cautioned that around 400 terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir are still active and intelligence reports allude to higher level of infiltration.

Gen Singh said the situation in J&K and the northeast had improved owing to the relentless operations carried out by the security forces, but he emphasised that security forces need to remain vigilant while scrupulously upholding the law of the land and with utmost respect for human rights.
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"We need to keep all enablers in place, especially when there are still around 400 terrorists in the state and intelligence reports allude to higher level of infiltration," he said in an interview to news magazine 'The Week'.

To a question relating to deteriorating relationship between soldiers and officers in the army, Gen Singh said in a large organisation, some aberrations do arise, but his focus was on identifying the causative factors for such aberrations and nstitute measures to obviate them.

"My talks to officers at various stations have essentially been focused on highlighting the causative factors for the aberrations and urging all unit and formation commanders to create conducive climate in their units and formation, besides nsuring strict adherence to unit routine that enables all ranks to intermingle during various parades," he said, adding that it was extremely important for healthy interpersonal relations that officers and men rub shoulders during training and games parades.