Arun Jaitley, Army chief to visit Jammu and Kashmir today to review security

This will be Arun Jaitley's first visit to Jammu and Kashmir after he took over the additional charge from Manohar Parrikar.

Srinagar: Amid heightened tension on the Line of Control (LoC) in the Valley, Defence Minister Arun Jaitley and Army Chief General Bipin Rawat will on Wednesday visit Jammu and Kashmir to review the security situation.

This will be Jaitley's first visit to Jammu and Kashmir after he took over the additional charge from Manohar Parrikar.

During his visit to the LoC, Jaitley would hold talks with field commanders.

The minister will be briefed on the overall preparedness of the Army to meet challenges of ceasefire violations by Pakistan and the heightened risk of infiltration as the snow starts to thaw on the mountains.

Sources here said the ongoing students' unrest fanning separatist sentiments in the Valley would also remain in focus.

"The impact of an unrest on the overall security situation cannot be wished away. Therefore, the visit will also focus on ways and means to help the civil administration bring the situation under control," a top official told IANS.

Jaitley's visit comes in the wake of beheading of two Indian soldiers by the Pakistani Army in Poonch district earlier this month.

A rise in infiltration attempts, ceasefire violations, cross-border shelling along with the Valley's internal crisis has turned into a major crisis for the state government as well as the Centre.

The Defence Minister advanced his visit by a day since he was otherwise scheduled to chair the two-day long Goods and Services Tax (GST) council meeting beginning in Srinagar on Thursday.

(With Agency inputs)