Army chief visits Jammu-based White Knight Corps, reviews security situation

Amid heightened Indo-Pakistan tension, army chief General Bipin Rawat visited the Jammu-based White Knight Corps on Saturday to review the operational preparedness, and exhorted all soldiers to remain vigilant.

This is the first visit of the army chief to the region after India's air strike at a Jaish-e-Mohammed terror facility in Balakot in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Tuesday in response to the February 14 strike in Pulwama, in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed.

Over the past five days, there has been 51 violations of the ceasefire agreement along the Line of Control (LoC) by Pakistani forces in Rajouri and Poonch districts, which left four civilians, including three members of a family, dead and 14 others, including eight security personnel, injured.

"The army chief and general officer commanding-in-chief of northern command Lt. Gen Ranbir Singh visited the White Knight Corps to review the operational preparedness of the forces...in view of the current situation along the LoC and the International Border," a defence spokesman said.

During the visit, the Army chief was briefed and updated by White Knight Corps head Lt. Gen Paramjit Singh about the current operational situation, prevailing security scenario and the preparedness of the formation.

The army chief was also briefed on the actions taken to meet the challenges of increased ceasefire violations and measures put in place to thwart the nefarious designs of the adversary, the spokesman said.

General Rawat was also briefed on the measures reinforced in other areas of the formation's responsibility towards ensuring peace and stability.

The army chief commended all soldiers for their unwavering dedication to duty, selfless devotion and high standard of professionalism, the spokesman said.

He said the army chief was appreciative of the measures and standard operating procedures instituted by the units and formations to minimise the casualties due to ceasefire violations and infiltration bids.

The army chief exhorted all soldiers to remain vigilant to counter the nefarious designs of the enemy and anti-national elements, the spokesman said.