Srinagar: The Army on Thursday said its operations in Jammu and Kashmir are conducted in a professional and dedicated manner and the force has a code of conduct which values human dignity.

"We have a very strong code of conduct which values human dignity and the values of the society. So I wish to assure you that all the operations by the Army in Jammu and Kashmir are being carried out in a professional and dedicated manner," Army's northern command chief Lt Gen Ranbir Singh told reporters on the sidelines of a function at Wuzur in south Kashmir's Anantnag district.

In response to a question, the Army commander said, "Wherever there are actions to be taken, those are taken at appropriate levels."

Lt Gen Singh was at Army Goodwill School, Wuzur, which has been renamed after Lance Naik Nazir Ahmad Wani, who was awarded Ashok Chakra posthumously in January this year.

Wani was killed in an anti-insurgency operation at Batagund in Kulgam district on November 25, 2018. Six militants were killed, three of them by the terrorist-turned-soldier, in the operation.

He was awarded Ashok Chakra for his role in the operation, thereby becoming the first person from the Valley to be awarded the highest peacetime gallantry award of the country.

"It is a matter of great pride for us today to be here at Army Goodwill School at Wuzur because today we have dedicated this school to pay homage to our martyr late Lance Naik Nazir Ahmad Wani, who was a recipient of Ashok Chakra, India's highest peacetime gallantry award.

"He was also two times recipient of the Sena medal for gallantry by the government of India," Lt Gen Singh said.

On the functioning of the Army Goodwill schools in Kashmir, the Army commander said there are always some distractions which work against the interests of the country.

"It is to the credit of our children, their parents and our teachers that we have been able to ensure that there has been no disruption in the education, which we are trying to impart to the children in these schools," he said.

"The children of Kashmir are our hope. We are sure that in the times to come they will work hard. They have a huge potential and they will become useful members of the society and take us on the trajectory of growth and development as far as Kashmir and the nation is concerned," he added.

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Saharsa (PTI): More than 150 children were taken ill after allegedly consuming food that was part of the mid-day meal in a school in Bihar’s Saharsa district, a senior official said on Thursday.

The incident occurred at a middle school in Baluaha village of the district.

The official said that 115 children were undergoing treatment at the Sadar Hospital, while around 50 students were admitted to Mahishi Public Health Centre.

“We received information that several children fell ill after consuming the mid-day meal in Baluaha. The children were initially treated at the primary health centre, but later, many were referred to the Sadar Hospital,” Saharsa District Magistrate Deepesh Kumar told reporters.

“According to doctors, the health condition of the children has improved, but they will be kept under observation for some time. There is no need to panic. Some kids are having mild fever. They are being treated accordingly,” Kumar said.

Meanwhile, family members of some children claimed that a snake was found in the container in which cooked pulses was stored at the school.

Of the 545 students present in the school, 200 had already eaten their meals by the time the snake was spotted, and later complained of stomach ache and vomiting, they said.

Regarding the claims, the DM said food samples have been collected from the school.

“We will be able to comment on this only after the results of the tested samples arrive,” he said.