Indian Army chief spends day with soldiers in Valley

Srinagar, Jan 1 (IANS) Indian Army chief General Bipin Rawat arrived here on Tuesday to start the new year among the soldiers in the Kashmir Valley.Defence Ministry spokesman Col Rajesh Kalia said Gen Rawat would interact with the troops and review the security situation along the Line of Control (LoC) and hinterland."Accompanied by the Northern Army Commander Lt Gen Ranbir Singh and the Chinar Corps Commander Lt Gen A.K. Bhatt, the Army chief visited the frontier district of Kupwara where he interacted with the troops and was briefed about counter-infiltration operations. "The Army chief was appreciative of the sharp vigil and alertness along the LoC and the high morale of the troops and exhorted them to remain alert for any eventuality." Later, the Army chief interacted with senior Jammu and Kashmir Police officials and discussed the internal security situation in the Valley.
--IANS sq/mr