Defence Minister Arun Jaitley and Army Chief Bipin Rawat's arrival on Wednesday coincided with the Army and police launching a big search operation in Shopian in south Kashmir.
The district has emerged as one of the hotbeds of militancy in Kashmir.
The security forces are increasingly trying to assert their writ on the militant's bastions in the south amid heightened student protests and clashes with Pakistan forces on the line of control.
In Wednesday's operation, the forces searched more than 500 houses in Shopian to flush out militants. The areas combed include Heff and Shirmal.
The operation was launched in the intervening night of May 16 and 17 after security forces received specific intelligence inputs about the presence of ultras in the twin villages.
But the operation was marred by stone pelting that led to its early termination.
“During the searches, maximum restraint was shown in dealing with the miscreants who tried to disrupt the operation at Heff village,'' a police spokesman said. ''After successful completion of searches with the cooperation of villagers, the operation concluded as planned this morning''.
The spokesman refuted reports of vandalising property and beating the residents by the security forces.
More than a 1,000 security personnel took part in Wednesday's sweep without any success.
The Army and the police have stepped up offensive against the militants after the killing of 22- year- old Lieutenant Ummer Fayaz after abduction on May 10 from his uncle, Muhammad Maqbool Mir's house at Batepora Nelgdang in Shopian.
On the LoC, Pakistan Army on Wednesday targeted Balkote sector of the Poonch district. Earlier, it has shelled Nowshera area of the neighbouring Rajouri district in which two people including a woman were killed.
“Unprovoked ceasefire violation was carried out by Pakistan Army in Balakot Sector from 12.50 am to 1.30 am,” said defence spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Manish Mehta. He said befitting reply was given by the Indian side.
