PM Modi in J-K’s Gurez valley along LoC to celebrate Diwali with soldiers

The Prime Minister had spent his last Diwali with soldiers in Himachal Pradesh’s Sumdo.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday reached the Gurez valley along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir to celebrate Diwali with troops posted in the forward area, the Army said.

PM Modi was in Siachen last year to celebrate Diwali with soldiers. (HT File Photo)

Army chief General Bipin Rawat, Northern Command chief Lt General Devraj Anbu and Chinar Corps Commander Lt Gen JS Sandhu were also in Gurez accompanying the Prime Minister, an Army official said.

Modi had spent Diwali with the people of Kashmir in 2014 in the aftermath of the devastating floods in the Valley.

The PM might also make a trip to Mana post at Indo-China border.

Officials in the Prime Minister’s Office and Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) refused to divulge details of Modi’s visit, but sources said the ITBP was ready to receive the prime minister in Kedarnath sector at any post on Diwali.

The PM’s visit to Indo-China border comes after the stand off over Doklam where troops from both countries disengaged after a 73-day military standoff over the road construction activities by the Chinese in the Doklam plateau at the tri-junction of India, China and Bhutan.

In 2014, the PM had gone to Srinagar on Diwali after floods ravaged the Jammu and Kashmir capital and took a detour to Siachen. A year later he visit a war memorial near Amritsar on Indo-Pak border.

Sources said defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman will celebrate Diwali with troops in Andaman and Nicobar and Army chief General Bipin Rawat is in Uri to celebrate Diwali.

(With PTI inputs)