Jammu, Nov 12: Lt Gen M V Sudhindra Kumar, Army’s Northern Commander, visited the White Knight Corps (16 Corps) headquarters in Jammu on Tuesday to assess the operational readiness of troops, officials reported. This visit comes amid intensified anti-terror operations in Kishtwar district’s remote forest areas, where recent attacks by terrorists resulted in the deaths of a Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) and two Village Defence Guards (VDGs) within the past five days.
According to a post by the Northern Command on X, Lt Gen Kumar’s review focused on enhancing the preparedness of the White Knight Corps, also known as XVI Corps, urging all personnel to uphold the highest standards of professionalism and vigilance in ongoing anti-terror operations.
The military’s extensive search operation continues in Keshwan, Kuntwara, and surrounding forest areas of Kishtwar, now entering its sixth day. Security forces aim to locate and neutralize the terrorists involved in the recent attacks, including the death of Naib Subedar Rakesh Kumar of 2 Para and injuries to three other soldiers in Keshwan forest on Sunday, as well as the abduction and shooting of VDGs Nazir Ahmed and Kuldeep Kumar in Kuntwara forest last Thursday. Despite an intensified search, no further contact has been made with the terrorists.
Officials noted a concerning increase in terror incidents in the Jammu region this year, with 44 civilians and 18 security personnel killed in attacks. While terror activities in the Pir Panjal areas of Rajouri and Poonch have decreased compared to previous years, fresh incidents across Reasi, Doda, Kishtwar, Kathua, Udhampur, and Jammu since April have kept security forces on high alert.
