Soldiers' beheading by Pak: Army Chief hints at retaliation, says 'Indian Army does not reveal plans before executing them'

Army Chief General Bipin Rawat on Thursday hinted a possible retaliation to Pakistan over the beheading of two Indian soldiers in Jammu in Kashmir as he said that the Indian Army does not reveal plans before executing them.

Replying to questions on whether the Indian army will respond to the barbaric act, Rawat, said the armed forces will effectively respond to such actions by the neighbouring country. He, however, didn’t give a direct reply to the questions.

“We do not talk about future plans beforehand. We share details after execution of the plan,” Gen Rawat said, refusing to elaborate further.

Pressed further, he said “When this kind of action takes place, we also carry out retaliatory action”. He was speaking to reporters on the sidelines of an event.

Vice Chief of Army Staff Sarath Chand on Tuesday had said the army will respond to the dastardly act at “a time and place of its choosing”.

Defence Minister Arun Jaitley had said the “sacrifice (of the two soldiers) will not go in vain” and the Indian armed forces will react “appropriately” to the “inhuman act” of the Pakistani troops.

Sources said the army is weighing various options to respond to the beheading of a Naib Subedar and a BSF head constable by a Pakistani Border Action Team on the Line of Control on May 1.

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Asked about the reactivation of terror launchpads across the LoC which were destroyed by India during the surgical strike last year, Rawat only said the “counter-infiltration postures” have been beefed up.

“Terrorists are trying to infiltrate. Snows are melting, summer months have started. Like each year, infiltration will commence. We are taking measures. We have beefed up our counter-infiltration postures,” said Gen Rawat.

On security forces launching a massive anti-militancy operation at multiple places in south Kashmir’s Shopian district today, the army chief said it is being carried out to bring the situation under control.

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“The combing operation is going on as some banks were looted and some policemen have been killed. It has been launched to ensure that the situation is brought under control. These operations are carried out regularly,” he said.

(With inputs from PTI)