We will hit back very hard: GOC 3 Corps Lt Gen Abhay Krishna
IMPHAL, May 24: The bodies of six Assam Rifles soldiers including a junior commission officer who were killed in an ambush at Chaljang in Chandel district on May 22 were flown to their native places in two special IAF aircrafts after tributes were paid at a ceremony held at Tulihal Airport today.
Chief minister Okram Ibobi, his deputy Gaikhangam, GOC 3 (Spear) Corps, Lt Gen Abhay Krishna, top officials of central security forces and state police paid their tribute to the slain soldiers.
“We will hit back very hard” said Lt Gen Abhay Krishna while interacting with media after paying his homage to the martyred soldiers. He said that it was a matter of initiative and opportunity and this time it was in the militants’ favour but that will not last for long.
“No setback can ever dilute the resilience of Indian Army” stated Abhay Krishna and said that the set back is also an opportunity to bounce back and bounce back with bigger success. He said that counter insurgency is just the game of initiative and opportunity and they will seize back the opportunity very soon.
Chief Minister Ibobi after laying wreath and giving his last salute to the valiant soldiers condemned the incident. He also said that it was a cowardly act and must be condemned in the strongest form. He further mentioned that the state government will not spare anybody who is working against the nation.
DGP LM Khaute, Major General VS Sreenvas, IG AR (South) and Maj Gen SS Mishra, GOC 57 Mtn Div were among those who participated in the wreath laying ceremony and paid last homage to the slain soldiers.
The six AR personnel killed in the ambush by militants, allegedly a combined team of CorCom, were named as junior commission officer Baldev Kumar Sharma from Himachal Pradesh, Havildar Surjit Barla from Jharkhand, Rifleman Pawan Kumar from Jammu and Kashmir, Rifleman Mahesh Gurung from Uttarkhand, Rifleman Bhupinder Singh from Himachal Pradesh and Rifleman Akhilesh Kumar Pandey from Bihar.