Lieutenant General Amardeep Singh Aujla succeeded Lt Gen D P Pandey as General Officer Commanding of the India Army’s key 15 Corps in Kashmir on Monday.
A defence spokesman said Lt Gen Devendra Pratap Pandey led the Corps during a critical period in 2021, when Kashmir was confronted with the twin problems of terrorism and the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“An enhanced security situation prevailed at the Line of Control, as well as in the hinterland, during my term.” Terrorism is on the retreat, with estimated residual terrorist numbers at an all-time low, thanks to the Civil Administration and security forces working together to restore normalcy in Kashmir, according to the spokesman.
“Infiltration was considerably reduced thanks to dynamic deployment along the Line of Control, which was combined with technical intelligence and a comprehensive anti-infiltration grid.” The opportunity provided by the ceasefire violation agreement prompted additional efforts to provide relief to the local population living near the Line of Control, he said.
“All elements of security personnel in the hinterland were brought together to end the cycle of bloodshed.” The spokesman added that “relentless operations were carried out in coordination with Jammu and Kashmir Police and other CAPFs, based on concrete intelligence, to neutralise terrorists with little collateral damage and zero civilian fatalities.”
He added that the strategy includes reaching out to families, even active terrorists’, in order to reduce recruiting and encourage surrenders among local militants.
“Various programmes were introduced to impede indoctrination and incitement carried out by ‘White Collar Terrorists’ to mislead and compel Kashmir’s young along the path of bloodshed.” “Conflict entrepreneurs were targeted, while kids were engaged through various projects, extending a variety of platforms to demonstrate their potential, ranging from sports to cultural arenas,” according to the statement.
The Army claims that the efforts have paid off, with the number of terrorists down to an all-time low of 150.
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