Defence Minister Antony visits forward areas
Top LeT militant shot in Mendhar forests
Shariq Majeed
Tribune News Service

Rajouri, April 27
Hours before Defence Minister AK Antony’s visit to the Rajouri sector to review the overall security situation, the security forces this morning gunned down a Pakistani commander of the Lashkar-e-Taiba in Dorimal forests in the Mendhar area of Poonch district. His accomplice, however, managed to escape.

Army sources said on specific information about the movement of militants in Dorimal forests, which lies on the border of Salwa and Saroti Naad villages in Mendhar, troops of 37 RR and the state police launched a search operation in the forest area around 11 pm yesterday. On spotting two militants, the security forces challenged them. The militants opened fire on the troops. The security forces retaliated, killing deputy commander of the LeT Abu Babar, a resident of Peshawar in Pakistan. His accomplice, however, managed to escape, they added.

The sources added that an AK rifle, two magazines and 16 rounds had been seized from the slain militant.

Meanwhile, Defence Minister AK Antony visited the forward areas under the White Knight Corps today. He was accompanied by Chief of the Army Staff General Deepak Kapoor, Defence Secretary Vijay Singh, GOC-in-C, Northern Command, Lt-Gen PC Bhardwaj and the GOC, White Knight Corps.

A defence spokesperson said Antony was briefed on the prevailing security situation along the LoC. Thereafter, the minister addressed the troops at the Raina Auditorium, Rajouri. He lauded the role of the Army in curbing infiltration and reducing the levels of insurgency. He also commended the Army’s vigilance and proactive stance for “incident-free elections” in the state in the first two phases.

The minister appreciated projects under Operation Sadbhavana launched for the socio-economic uplift of the local population.

Antony urged the troops to continue to be vigilant.