In his first public statement over the recent killing of three civilians allegedly in Army’s custody following an ambush by terrorists in which four soldiers were killed, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday asked the security forces to “win the hearts of countrymen” and ensure “lapses are not repeated which hurt the countrymen”.

Rajnath met relatives of the three civilians killed allegedly in Army’s custody and residents of Topa Peer village and assured them that an expeditious enquiry will be held into the incident and justice will be done.

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Addressing the troops in the border town of Rajouri during his day long visit to Jammu, Rajnath said, “We have to win battles, eliminate terrorists but a bigger objective is to win the hearts of the people and I know you always try your best to do that.”

He stressed the need for a close bond between the armed forces and the civilian population. “Indian Army is not an ordinary army. Indian soldiers are the protectors of this country and your duty is also to win the hearts of the people”.

“First of all, I express my deep condolences to our four soldiers who were martyred in the recent incident and their families,” he said, adding, appropriate steps are being taken to prevent incidents like the recent ambush by terrorists in the Poonch district.

The defence minister was accompanied by the Army Chief Gen Manoj Pande and was received at the IAF station here by the Lt. Governor Manoj Sinha and Northern Army Commander, Lt. General Upendra Dwivedi.

Referring to the injuries sustained by soldiers during the ambush, Rajnath said, “I pray for the speedy recovery of the Army personnel who sustained injuries. I would like to assure you that keeping in mind the severity of the incident, required steps are being taken. Each of our Army personnel is important to us.”

Rajnath told the soldiers, “I believe in your bravery and steadfastness. Terrorism should be finished from Jammu and Kashmir and you need to move forward with this commitment. I have full faith that you will achieve the objective.”

He said that the Army chief, who visited Rajouri the other day, briefed him about the situation on the ground. “Every soldier holds immense significance for us; they are an integral part of our extended family. The sentiment resonates deeply in the heart of each Indian. We explicitly reject any ill intention towards you and any harm to you is unacceptable to us,” he reassured.

The defence minister pointed out that the countrymen have deep respect for the soldiers and this can be seen when thousands of people attend the last rites of the martyred soldiers.

In a meeting at Army’s Div Headquarter, Singh reviewed the security situation in the border districts of Rajouri and Poonch with top brass of Army and security forces. He took stock of the security situation along the Line of Control (LoC) and carried out a first-hand assessment of the prevailing situation as well as the counter-terror operations in the area.

The Defence Minister was given a briefing on the prevalent security situation, counter-infiltration grid and operational preparedness. The aspects associated with the operating challenges were discussed by Rajnath Singh with the Commanders on ground. He called for professional conduct and due diligence while carrying out operations.