JAMMU, Jul 11: Senior BSF and police officials held a high-level interstate meeting to review security following a terrorist ambush on an army patrol in Kathua,
The attack believed to involve terrorists who infiltrated from across the International Border, resulted in the deaths of five army personnel, including a Junior Commissioned Officer, and left several others injured. The ambush occurred on the Machedi-Kindli-Malhar mountain road near Badnota village, approximately 150 km from Kathua’s district headquarters.
Those present in the meeting included Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police R R Swain, Punjab DGP Gaurav Yadav, and Special Director General of BSF, Western Command, Y B Khurania. The focus was on reviewing the security grid along the International Border and addressing any security gaps.
Additional participants were ADGP (Law and Order) J&K Vijay Kumar, ADGP (Law and Order) Punjab Arpit Shukla, and IG-rank BSF officers from Punjab and Jammu.
Officials indicated that the terrorists likely infiltrated through the International Border, reaching the dense forests of Machedi, which connects Basantgarh in Udhampur and Bhaderwah in Doda district. This route was historically used during the peak of militancy over two decades ago.
A massive manhunt has been underway for four days, resulting in the detention of over 50 individuals for questioning.
Earlier, on Wednesday, Northern Army Commander Lieutenant General M V Suchindra Kumar visited forward areas along the Line of Control in Ladakh and asked troops to be prepared for future challenges.
Accompanied by the General Officer Commanding Leh-based Fire and Fury Corps, the Army commander visited forward areas along LoC in Ladakh and reviewed operational preparedness.
“Lt Gen M V Suchindra Kumar, Army commander northern command accompanied by GOC Fire and Fury corps visited units deployed along the Line of Control and reviewed the operational preparedness of Forever in Operations division,” the Northern Command wrote on X.
The Army commander complimented the troops for their high standards of professionalism and exhorted them to be prepared for future challenges.
He also met formation commanders and jawans during his visit to Batalik in the Kargil sector.
The Union Territory of Ladakh has three kinds of borders — LoC with Pakistan, the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China, and the Actual Ground Position Line at the Siachen glacier, the highest battleground in the world.
