Indian Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi is set to visit Jammu on Saturday to assess the security situation, ANI reported. Formation commanders will brief him on the areas currently under security forces’ control. A security review meeting with other agencies is also anticipated.
This visit follows the death of four Indian Army soldiers, including Captain Brijesh Thapa, during a terrorist encounter in Jammu and Kashmir’s Doda district on July 16. This will mark the Army chief’s second visit to Jammu and Kashmir; his first was on July 3 to the Poonch-Rajouri sector to evaluate the security situation along the Line of Control (LoC).
General Dwivedi, who took command of the Indian Army on June 30, is the 30th Chief of the Indian Army. He belongs to the Jammu and Kashmir Rifles and has been serving as Vice Chief of Army Staff since February.
In response to the infiltration of highly trained Pakistani terrorists in the Jammu region, the Indian Army is adjusting its deployments based on intelligence inputs and security needs. Around 500 Para Special Forces commandos have been deployed to target the 50-55 terrorists from Pakistan aiming to revive terrorism in the region, according to defense sources.
Intelligence agencies have also strengthened their operations to dismantle the terrorist support infrastructure, including overground workers aiding the terrorists. The Army has already positioned one brigade, approximately 3,500-4,000 personnel, to counter Pakistan’s proxy aggression.
The Army’s ground leadership is developing strategies to locate and eliminate the terrorists, who are armed with advanced weaponry and communication equipment. Existing counter-terrorist infrastructure includes two Rashtriya Rifles forces, Romeo and Delta, along with other regular infantry divisions.
A joint operation, based on specific intelligence, by the Indian Army and the JK Police was underway north of Doda on July 15. The encounter on July 16 resulted in the loss of four Indian Army soldiers, including Captain Brijesh Thapa.