Kashmir attacks will fail to hinder polls process: Army chief

Chief of the Army Staff General Dalbir Singh Suhag today said the attack on the Uri camp in north Kashmir's Baramulla district was a desperate attempt by militants to disrupt the democratic process in the state.

"It appears a desperate attempt to disrupt the third phase of elections. I assure the nation that these elements will not be allowed to succeed in disrupting the democratic process," he told reporters after arriving in Srinagar this morning.

Gen Suhag paid tribute to the slain security force personnel by laying wreaths on their coffins at a sombre ceremony at Badamibagh Cantonment in the city. He said their sacrifice will not be wasted – ''In fact, it will inspire each of us."

The Army chief reviewed the security situation in the state in the wake of the Uri attack that left 11 security force personnel dead, and other militancy-related incidents that saw two Lashkar-e-Toiba militants getting killed in an encounter in Srinagar while two civilians also lost their lives in a grenade blast in Tral town of south Kashmir.

Gen Suhag was briefed by the top army officers of the Chinar Corps about the counter-insurgency and counter-infiltration measures in place.

"He also took a stock of the state of security in the Valley in light of the ongoing elections," an Army spokesman said.

Gen Suhag expressed satisfaction on the high state of alertness of the forces and commended their level of commitment and preparation which ensured that the intentions of the adversaries have not been able to dent the spirit of the population, the spokesman said.

Gen Suhag said peaceful atmosphere in which the polls have been conducted in the first two phases has been due to the efforts put in by all the security forces.

He highlighted the role of the soldiers in the harshest of terrain and weather conditions, and the supreme sacrifice made in order to ensure that the militants were prevented from reaching the populated areas and causing harm to civilian lives.