Desperate Attempt By Militants to Disrupt Polling in JK: Army Chief

Army Chief General Dalbir Singh on Saturday said surge in attacks including attack on army camp in Uri was desperate attempt by militants to disrupt the remaining three phases of polling in the border State.

SRINAGAR: Crediting security forces for peaceful conduct of first two phases of polling in Jammu and Kashmir, Army Chief General Dalbir Singh on Saturday said surge in attacks including attack on army camp in Uri was desperate attempt by militants to disrupt the remaining three phases of polling in the border State.

Gen Suhag arrived here this morning to take stock of the security situation following killing of 21 people including 11 security men in four militant attacks yesterday.

In one of the major attack, militants stormed an army camp in Uri in North Kashmir yesterday killing nine soldiers including an officer and three policemen. Six militants were also killed in over six-hour long gunfight.

Gen Suhag laid wreaths on the coffins of the coffins of Lt Col Sankalp Kumar, Havaldar Subhash Chand, Lance Naik Gurnail Singh, Naik Panna Lal Yadav, Gnr Satnam Singh, Lance Naik Sukhwinder Singh, DMT Kuldeep Kumar and Gnr Manpreet Singh, who were killed in militant attack in Uri.

Sources said after laying wreaths, army chief was briefed about the prevailing security situation and yesterday’s militant attacks by Northern command chief Lt Gen  DS Hooda, GoC 15 Corps Lt Gen Subrata Saha and other top army officials.

They said army chief was given a brief about militant attack in Uri and informed that the militants were killed before they could have caused any damage to the camp, which also housed ammunition depot.

“General Suhag reviewed state of security in the Valley in light of the ongoing elections. He expressed satisfaction on high state of alertness of the forces and commended their level of commitment and preparation which has ensured that the malafide intentions of adversaries have not been able to dent the spirit of the population,” defence spokesman Lt Col N N Joshi said.

Referring to yesterday’s attack on army camp in Uri and other parts of the Valley, army chief said it was an attempt by militants to disrupt the remaining three phases of the polls as they were unnerved by the high voter turnout in the first two phases.

General Suhag gave credit to peaceful conduct of first phase phases of elections in the State. “Peaceful atmosphere in which the polls have been conducted in first two phases has been possible due to the efforts put in by all the security forces.”

The third phase of the polling for 16 Assembly segments spread in three districts of the Valley will be held on December 8.

According to Joshi, army chief praised the soldiers for preventing militants from reaching the populated areas and causing harm to innocent civilian lives. “They laid their duties in line of duty and foiled nefarious designs of militants”.

General Suhag said nefarious designs of the adversary have been defeated and saluted the soldiers, who were killed in Uri gunfight.

Sources said the army chief during his security review meeting also discussed Prime Minister’s visit to Srinagar.

After security review meeting, army chief returned to Delhi.