Jammu, May 20 (IANS) General Officer Commanding-in-Chief (GoC-in-C) of the Indian Army’s Northern Command, Lt Gen Pratik Sharma, on Wednesday reviewed the prevailing security situation and operational preparedness of troops along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri district, an official said.

The Udhampur-headquartered Northern Command said in a post on X: “Gen Pratik Sharma, #ArmyCdrNC, reviewed the prevailing security situation and operational preparedness of the forward areas of #Sunderbani Sector along the #LoC.

“He interacted with the troops, including personnel from the BSF, commending them for their battle-hardened resilience, indomitable courage and unwavering commitment to duty. He encouraged all for rapid absorption of emerging technologies with an aim to upskill and always remain combat ready.”

Jammu and Kashmir has a 740-km-long LoC located in Rajouri, Poonch and parts of Jammu district in the Jammu division, and in Baramulla, Bandipora and Kupwara districts of the Kashmir Valley.

The Army is deployed along the LoC, while the 240-km-long International Border is located in Samba, Kathua and Jammu districts.

The Border Security Force (BSF) is deployed along the International Border. The Army and the BSF are deployed to prevent infiltration, exfiltration, drug smuggling and drone activity originating from the Pakistan side of the border.

Drones are used by terror outfits operating from across the border in Pakistan, with the assistance of Pakistani forces, to drop consignments of arms, ammunition, cash and drugs.

These consignments are picked up by overground workers (OGWs) of terror groups and subsequently passed on to terrorists operating in Jammu and Kashmir.

Special anti-drone equipment is being used by the BSF and the Army to prevent drone activity originating from across the LoC and the International Border.

There has been a significant decrease in drone activity from across the border in Jammu and Kashmir after the deployment of hi-tech anti-drone technology by the Army and the BSF.

Despite the decline, occasional sightings of drones along the LoC and the International Border continue to be reported from across the border.

–IANS

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