Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Jan 22: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh has called for strengthening Security Grid, beefing up security all along the borders and hinterland and taking all possible measures to ward off any terror strike in Jammu and Kashmir on or before Republic Day celebrations, which this year were coinciding with the visit of United States President Barack Obama to India.
This and other directions were passed on by Singh at a high level meeting to review security scenario in Jammu and Kashmir with top security officials in New Delhi last night.
Official sources told the Excelsior that the Union Home Minister directed the heads of para-military forces to strengthen anti-militancy Security Grid and maintain constant vigil along 192 kilometers long international boundary in Jammu and Kashmir, which is guarded by the BSF, to ensure that there was no infiltration by the militants from Pakistan.
He reviewed the security scenario in Jammu and Kashmir especially in the border areas with senior officers of the Ministry and top security officials following specific inputs about terrorists’ plot to infiltrate into the State for carrying out strikes on or before Republic Day.
Top official sources told the Excelsior that National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Union Home Secretary Anil Goswami, Joint Secretary Home (Incharge Jammu and Kashmir), Border Security Force (BSF) Director General DK Pathak, CRPF DG Prakash Mishra and Intelligence Bureau (IB) chief Dineshwar Sharma were reported to have briefed Rajnath Singh in detail about threat perception on Republic Day in sensitive States of the country particularly Jammu and Kashmir.
“Top security officials briefed the Union Home Minister on steps taken to maintain peace on the borders, which was under threat from the militants on Republic Day,” sources said, adding that Singh directed for strengthening position of security forces on the borders and internal areas to ensure that the militants didn’t manage to infiltrate and strike.
He was understood to have asked the security officials to maintain “extra ordinary vigil” all along the borders and internal areas and rely on Intelligence inputs to ward off the terror threat. The officers were said to have assured the Home Minister that they have passed on directions to their officials in the State for maintenance of law and order and peaceful Republic Day celebrations across the sensitive border State.
Sources said Rajnath Singh also reviewed latest status of firing on the International Border in Jammu sector with the BSF Director General DK Pathak, who had recently visited the International Border in Jammu following spurt in mortar shelling and firing in which two BSF jawans and a woman were killed.
The BSF chief is reported to have briefed the Home Minister that only small arms firing was now taking place on the IB and that too on some occasions and that mortar shelling and long range firing has stopped leading to return of over 10,000 border people to their houses, who had migrated to relief camps in safer zones in first week of January after heavy shelling by the Pakistani Rangers.
The Union Home Minister, according to sources, will shortly hold another review meeting on the status of border people. He has already directed the State Government to formulate comprehensive plan for rehabilitation of border migrants in safer zones by allotting them five marlas plots and construction of concrete bunkers to them.
“The meeting will be held once the State Government submits a proposal on rehabilitation of the migrants to the Union Home Ministry,” sources said.
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