CDS General Anil Chauhan visits Jammu, holds security review

Jammu: Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan on Monday arrived on a day-long visit to Jammu to review the security situation and operational preparedness in the region, officials said.

Gen Chauhan’s visit comes soon after Union Home Minister Amit Shah reviewed the security situation and the preparations for the annual Amarnath Yatra on Sunday.

The CDS arrived at 16 Corps headquarters in Nagrota, where he is scheduled to review the security situation of the region and operational preparedness of the security forces, they said.

He will be briefed by top commanders of the Army, including the Northern Army Commander and general officer commanding (GoC).  A series of security review meetings have been held at various levels to further chart out a strategy to deal with growing terrorism in the Jammu region with a strong arm.

Terrorists struck at four places in the Reasi, Kathua and Doda districts of Jammu and Kashmir within four days last week, killing nine pilgrims and a CRPF jawan and leaving seven security personnel and several others injured.

Two suspected Pakistani terrorists were also killed in an encounter with security forces in Kathua district.

On June 9, terrorists opened fire on a bus carrying pilgrims when it was en route to the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Katra from the Shiv Khori temple. The bus plunged into a deep gorge following the gunfire, killing nine people and injuring 41 others.

On June 11, terrorists fired at a joint checkpost of the Rashtriya Rifles and police at Chattergalla in Bhaderwah while a search party in the Gandoh area of Doda district was attacked on June 12, resulting in injuries to seven security personnel, including a policeman.