Minister pays homage to soldiers killed in Friday’s terror strike in Rajouri’s forest area. Defence minister Rajnath Singh meets soldiers during his visit to the Army Base Camp at Rajouri in Jammu & Kashmir on Saturday

SRINAGAR: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday visited the Army base camp in Rajouri to review the operational preparedness of troops and directed security officials to hunt down militants involved in the attack which killed five soldiers even as a militant was killed and another injured in a fresh gunfight with troops in the dense forest area.

The Minister interacted with soldiers and officers involved in a massive combing and search operation in the Kandi forest area of Rajouri to track down militants involved in the twin attacks on the Army in Poonch and Rajouri.

On Friday, five soldiers were killed in an IED explosion during an encounter in the Kandi forest area of Rajouri, while On April 20, five Army men were killed when militants ambushed their vehicle in the Bhatta Durian forest area of Poonch.

While commending the valour and zeal of men and officers, Rajnath Singh said, “The nation feels secure because of unmatched courage, commitment and constant vigil of the soldiers of the Indian Army in difficult areas. The government and people of the country are always with the armed forces.”Later, the Defence Minister chaired a security review meeting which was also attended by the Army chief, chief of the northern command, J&K Lt Governor and other top officials.

“The minister reviewed the ongoing anti-militancy operations in the forest areas of Poonch and Rajouri. He asked Army officials to hunt down militants involved in the attacks and go after the overground workers of the militants to deny them space to hide and carry out attacks,” sources privy to the meeting said. The minister also reviewed the security situation along the borders and the LoC in J&K with Pakistan and the operational preparedness of troops.

He exhorted Army men and officials to be ready to foil every nefarious design of the enemy and strengthen the counter-infiltration grid to prevent the infiltration of militants. Meanwhile, a fresh gunfight erupted between militants and troops in the forest area on Saturday during which a militant was killed and another injured. The security men recovered 1 AK-56 rifle, 4 magazines, 56 rounds, one 9 mm pistol with magazine, 3 grenades and 1 ammunition pouch from the encounter site.

The anti-militancy operation in the forest area is going on. The Army has pressed drones and helicopters into service to track down the militants. Specially trained para-troopers are also assisting troops in the operation. The Army has been conducting a relentless cordon and search operation in the forest areas of Rajouri and Poonch to track down militants involved in the April 20 ambush on an Army truck in Tota Gali area of Bhata Dhurian in the Poonch district in which five soldiers were killed. In another development, a local Lashkar-e-Toiba militant was killed in an encounter with troops in the Karahama Kunzer area of North Kashmir’s Baramulla district on Saturday.

Arms, Ammunition Recovered After Gunfight

A fresh gunfight erupted between militants and troops in the forest area on Saturday during which a militant was killed and another injured. The security men recovered 1 AK-56 rifle, 4 magazines, 56 rounds, one 9 mm pistol, 3 grenades and 1 ammunition pouch from the encounter site.