Indian Army responding befittingly to Pak violations: LG Sinha

Responding to media queries at Jammu University here after inaugurating a cricket tournament, Sinha said, “ Indian Army is giving a befitting reply to Pakistan’s ceasefire violations on the LoC”

Amid spike in trans-border firing, IED blasts and sniper fire by Pakistan, Jammu and Kashmir lieutenant governor, on Monday, said that the Indian army was responding befittingly adding that clear directions have been issued to the security forces to go full throttle to wipe out terrorism at any cost.

J&K lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha (File)

Responding to media queries at Jammu University here after inaugurating a cricket tournament, Sinha said, “ Indian Army is giving a befitting reply to Pakistan’s ceasefire violations on the LoC. The army is fully capable to deal with any situation.”

He further said, “There is good coordination between Jammu Kashmir Police and security forces. They have been instructed that terrorism has to be wiped out at any cost and this eco-system has to be smashed. There will be no let up in anti-terror operations and they will continue without any interruption.”

The LG informed that the top priority of the government was to maintain peace in Jammu and Kashmir.

After Captain Karamjit Singh Bakshi and Naik Mukesh Singh Manhas were killed in an IED blast near the LoC in Akhnoor on February 11, Sinha had chaired two back-to-back security review meetings at Srinagar and Jammu on February 12 and 13 with top officials. However, chief minister Omar Abdullah was not invited to both the meetings.

On February 13, close on the heels of a ceasefire violation by Pakistan in Bhimber Gali sector along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch sector, India had hit back strongly inflicting heavy losses to the Pak army in Krishna Ghati sector.

The two countries had renewed the ceasefire agreement on February 25, 2021 and it was by and large holding on the ground.

An intelligence official confided to HT that Pakistan has been trying to vitiate peace along the LoC by resorting to cross border firing, sniper fire and carrying out IED blasts with an aim to target Indian soldiers.

On February 10, General Officer Commanding of the Jammu-based White Knight Corps, Lieutenant General Navin Sachdeva, had reviewed “hostile activities” along the LoC in Rajouri district.