Defence secretary reviews security situation in Kashmir

Amid rising tension on the border, Defence Secretary Sanjay Mitra and Vice Chief of Army Staff (VCOAS) Lt Gen Sarath Chand on Friday reviewed the overall security situation in Kashmir. They were on a one-day visit to the state.

Defence spokesman Col Rajesh Kalia said Mitra arrived in Srinagar to review the overall security situation in the Valley. "During the visit, the defence secretary visited forward areas along the Line of Control where he was briefed on the prevailing security situation. He also interacted with the commanders and troops on ground,"Kalia said.

Mitra, he said, was also briefed on the close coordination among all the government agencies in maintaining peace in the region. "He (defence secretary) also visited Badami Bagh Cantonment where he was briefed by Lt Gen AK Bhatt, Chinar Corps Commander, on the counter-infiltration and counter-terrorism grids functional in the Valley," the spokesman said.

Meanwhile, during the visit, Lt Gen Chand was briefed by the commanders on the ground regarding operational preparedness as well as the measures taken to meet security and weather-related challenges, the spokesman said.

"The vice chief also interacted with troops and emphasised the need for undertaking relentless intelligence-based operations to sustain pressure on militant groups and maintain a high degree of vigil along the LoC to eliminate any infiltration bid," the spokesman said.

The visit comes at a time when tension has gripped people living close to the international border and the LoC in the state due to regular ceasefire violations by Pakistan. The hostilities rose between India and Pakistan since December last year after both accused each other of killing soldiers on either side.

The LoC and the IB remained volatile last year also. According to official figures, 860 incidents of ceasefire violations by Pakistani troops were reported in 2017, compared with 221 the year before.