Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Oct 8: Close on the heels of his visit to forward areas in Ladakh and Kargil in Jammu and Kashmir and Wagah border in Amritsar district of Punjab, Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde was expected to visit International Border (IB) in Jammu region and Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district this weekend and proceed to the Kashmir Valley next day for high level security review.
Tentative date for the visit of Mr Shinde to Jammu has been finalized as October 12 with night stay followed by one day tour to the Kashmir Valley the next day, official sources told the Excelsior.
Mr Shinde was most likely to visit Octroi Post in RS Pura sector, Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district, Banihal to inspect railway works and Ragunath temple to offer prayers to God. He was expected to have night stay in Jammu and flew to the Kashmir Valley on October 13 for high level review of security scenario with Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and top brass of para-military forces, police, civil administration and Intelligence agencies. He would have separate meetings with Governor NN Vohra and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.
The State Government was in touch with the Union Ministry of Home Affairs for finalizing dates and border areas, which Mr Shinde would visit during his first tour of Jammu region after taking over as Home Minister from P Chidambaram. However, a tentative schedule of Mr Shinde’s tour in Jammu has been prepared and submitted to the Ministry of Home Affairs for final nod.
Sources said Mr Shinde, who had only yesterday returned after two days tour of Leh and Kargil districts of Ladakh region followed by Wagah border in Amritsar district, had proposed to visit forward area of Chechwal on the International Border (IB) in Samba sector, which has witnessed repeated incidents of firing after detection of a tunnel, dug by Pakistan authorities inside the Indian territory.
However, sources added that the administration might prefer Octroi Post in Suchetgarh sector of RS Pura for the visit of the Union Home Minister on the International Border. On the Line of Control (LoC), Mr Shinde was likely to visit forward posts either in Poonch or in Krishna Ghati sector, where the Border Security Force (BSF) has been deployed.
He would fly to Banihal the same day for on spot review of Railway works on Banihal-Qazigund section, which was expected to be completed shortly. He would meet the Railways officials at the construction site for a detailed briefing of the ongoing works of the Railways to link Kashmir Valley by rail with rest of India.
The Union Home Minister was likely to pay obeisance at Ragunath temple in Jammu City the same evening and had a night halt in the temple City.
According to sources, Mr Shinde would proceed to the Kashmir Valley for a high level review of security scenario in the morning of October 13. He was also likely to visit some of the forward areas on the LoC in the Valley during his two days visit before flying back to New Delhi.
The Home Minister would chair a meeting of top brass of para-military forces, police, civil administration and Intelligence agencies for detailed review of security scenario in the Kashmir Valley and the Line of Control, which has witnessed a series of infiltration attempts recently amidst reports that few groups of militants might have been able to sneak into this side.
The Intelligence agencies have reports that more than 1200 militants were awaiting for infiltration along the LoC and IB but majority of intrusion bids backed by Pakistan Army and Rangers have been thwarted by the troops.
Mr Shinde had visited forward areas along Pakistan border in Kargil on October 6 and China border at Chushul in Leh on October 7. He had night halt at Leh. He also had detailed briefing from Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) on the situation prevailing along China border. On way back to New Delhi, he had visited Wagah border in Amritsar district.
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