A senior Army official, Lt. Gen. Rajiv Ghai, General Officer Commanding of the Army’s 15 Corps, visited forward areas in the Gurez sector along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir. The purpose of the visit was to review the preparedness of the counter-infiltration grid ahead of Republic Day. Security officials are concerned about the potential infiltration of terrorists into the valley due to the lack of adequate snowfall in the higher reaches of Kashmir this winter.
Typically, heavy snowfall blocks mountain passes along the LoC during winter, reducing the chances of infiltration. However, the dry winter has prompted heightened vigilance along the LoC. Lt. Gen. Ghai urged troops to maintain a high state of operational readiness in extreme weather conditions and challenging terrain.