2014 eventful year for Western Command: Army official

JAMMU: The bygone year was challenging and eventful for the Chandimandir-based Army's Western Command and its formations in Jammu and Kashmir, as it had to face various challenges from flood relief to foiling the cross border infiltration in 2014, an Army official said today.

"The year 2014 for Western Command was challenging and very fruitful. There were a number of infiltration bids by terrorists from across the border and all of them were thwarted due to the combined efforts of the security forces, civil administration and local residents of the areas," Defence spokesman Lt Col Manish Mehta said here.

He said that in one of the major infiltration bid on November 27 in Arnia, with information being provided by locals, four hard-core terrorists from across the border were eliminated in a swift and surgical action.

The army also lost three of its soldiers in the encounter that followed the infiltration bid.

"We pay our homage to three soldiers, Nk Kulwinder Singh, Nk Jagsir Singh and Nk Balwinder Singh who were martyred along with four locals of villages around Pindi who also became target of this unprovoked violence," he said.

The western command also played a major role during the devastating flood that hit the state in September last year.

"Operation Megh Rahat was launched by the army to ensure, rescue, relief and rehabilitation for the flood-hit people in the state," he said.

Following the increase in the cross-border firing from the Pakistani side on the International Border the Army in Jammu also launched " Operation Hausla Buland" to provide succour to the displaced personnel.