Army Commander Western Command reviews Security in Jammu Region 

Jammu,   June 3 (Punjab Post Bureau) – Lt Gen KJ Singh, Army Commander, Western Command reviewed the security grid of Jammu Sector on 03 June 2015 with Local Military Commanders.  During his visit, Lt Gen KJ Singh interacted with leaders of Local Gujjar Community.  The Army Commander assured that efforts will be made to train the local boys from Gujjar Community so as to prepare them for the recruitment in the Indian Army.  He also said that efforts will be made to provide education to the Gujjar Children.  The Army Commander also informed that efforts will be made for having a recruitment rally to join the Indian Army in Kathua and Samba district also.  He informed them that the Army is acting as an important interface between the Gujjars and Civil Administration in Jammu region.  They are being provided much needed veterinary care.  In the last one month alone four Veterinary Camps have been held in the border areas of Jammu region. The Army Commander also distributed books and stationery items to needy students of Gujjar Community with assurance that more resources would be made available to them and other such students. The important Gujjar Community leaders who were present were Mr Arshad Chaudhary, Chaudhary Sardar Kahn (Retired Superintendent of Police from Kathua), Chaudhary Sultan Ali from Kathua and Qasim Din Baniya, District Chairman from Kathua.

On the sidelines of the visit, the Regional President, Family Welfare Organisation of Western Command, Mrs Anita Singh inaugurated the much needed Anthony Shopping Complex in Janglot, designed to meet the daily needs of the Soldiers and their families. The Complex is named after Lance Naik Anthony Nirmal Viji from Tamilnadu who made the supreme sacrifice while repulsing the terrorist attack on Janglot in March 2014.  The complex has a vegetable shop, grocery shop, fast food shop, bakery, stationery & gift items shop and daily needs stores.

Speaking on the occasion, the Gujjar Community leaders thanked the initiative of the Army Commanders as this was the first ever interaction of the Army with local Gujjar Community and leaders in Kathua District. They thanked the Army Commander for the meeting.  Chaudhary Sardar Khan informed everyone during the peak of terrorism, in the Police Force it was an unwritten rule to have a Gujjar PSO; as a Gujjar will never betray.  Mr Arshad  informed that Gujjars are Nationalists and have stood by the Indian Army in the 1965, 1971 wars and terrorism in J&K.  They requested the Army to assist the Gujjar Community in providing quality education for their children as they lack proper infrastructure and schools.