General Deepak Kapoor will visit Jammu and Kashmir beginning Friday to get a first-hand knowledge of counter- insurgency operations in the militancy-hit state.
NEW DELHI: Days after taking over as the new Army Chief, General Deepak Kapoor will visit Jammu and Kashmir beginning Friday to get a first-hand knowledge of counter- insurgency operations in the militancy-hit state and the situation in the border.
Gen Kapoor, who ruled out troop reduction in the state soon after taking over as the 23rd chief of Army on Monday, would review the situation in the Jammu region as well as the
Kashmir valley during his stay in the state, official sources said here.
During his visit, he is likely to have meetings with state police officials and other members of Unified Headquarters in which emphasis would be laid on a concerted effort to counter insurgency operations, they said.
The Army chief will also pay obeisance at Mata Vaishno Devi temple during his visit.
Gen Kapoor, who had served in Jammu and Kashmir as a Brigade Commander 1998 and also headed the prestigious Udhampur-based Northern Command, has ruled out troops reduction in the state.
There cannot be any curtailment of army's role in combating terrorism keeping in view the geo-political situation vis-a-vis the threat from terrorists, he had said.
The army chief was categoric in stating that situation in Jammu and Kashmir did not yet warrant any withdrawal of forces. "As and when things improve, we can take a fresh look at troop positions," he said.
His statement came at a time when PDP, the alliance partner of the ruling Congress, was trying hard to score a political point by demanding immediate reduction of troops in the valley.
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