Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, June 13: The Core Group Kashmir (CGK) today decided to further strengthen Counter-Infiltration and Counter-Terrorist Grids in the Kashmir to ensure peaceful summer in the Valley and incident free annual pilgrimage of Shri Amarnath ji shrine in South Kashmir Himalayas beginning July 2. It reviewed deployment of Army, para-military forces and police for the pilgrimage, which would last 59 days till August 29.
Co chaired by General Officer Commanding (GOC) 15 Corps Lt Gen Subrata Saha and Director General of Police (DGP) K Rajendra in Srinagar, the summer capital of the State, the meeting touched series of law and order issues in the Valley including emergence of Lashkar-e-Islam, which was responsible for attacks on mobile telephone towers and killings of two civilians recently.
Rajendra told the Excelsior after the meeting that the CGK reviewed in detail the general security scenario in the Kashmir valley, the situation prevailing on the Line of Control (LoC) including likely attempts by the militants to infiltrate during summer, situation in hinterland, law and order problems and arrangements for Shri Amarnath ji yatra.
“We have reviewed the situation and taken several steps to maintain peaceful summer in the Valley and ensure that about two months long annual Amarnath ji pilgrimage passed off peacefully. All arrangements were being made for peaceful yatra. The arrangements will be in place well before start of the pilgrimage,” he said.
Official sources said the Core Group meeting decided to ensure extensive security measures for Amarnath yatra on both tracks including Pahalgam and Baltal. The meeting said Army would man heights surrounding the holy cave shrine while para-military forces and police would be deployed in strength along both the tracks and base camps at Nunwan in Pahalgam and Baltal in Ganderbal.
The twin National Highways of Jammu-Srinagar and Jammu-Pathankot and connecting roads will also be manned by the para-military forces and police.
“Additional Central forces, approved by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), have started arriving and deployment along the tracks would begin shortly,” sources said.
“Various other facets of Amarnath ji yatra including administrative, communication, medical etc were discussed and coordinated. All security agencies expressed their satisfaction on their preparedness for the period especially the additional security afforded by the infusion of cutting-edge technology into the surveillance infrastructure,” sources said.
The CGK expressed satisfaction over the fact that 29 militants have been killed in counter-infiltration and anti-militancy operations in Kashmir during little over five months of this year. It discussed in detail the measures taken to neutralize the militants in hinterland and counter infiltration attempts by the ultras along the LoC. The summer strategy both on LoC and hinterland was also discussed in detail.
“A total of 29 terrorists were eliminated in operations along the Line of Control and in the hinterland,” sources said after the security review meeting.
The meeting took stock of the results of the counter infiltration and counter terrorist operations in 2015 so far and reviewed the overall security situation in the Valley to draw out the future security strategy, sources said.
The Core Group was also given an update on the intelligence.
Lt Gen Saha lauded the coordination among different security agencies.
“Lt Gen Saha also emphasised on maintaining a high-level of preparedness to deal with natural disasters and highlighted the need for all stake holders to be concerned about environmental issues,” sources said, adding the DGP assured the gathering on the effectiveness of law and order control measures in place.
“Further proactive measures to prevent recurrence of recent attacks on mobile tower operators and civilians as witnessed in Sopore area was discussed,” sources said.
“All agencies conveyed their reassurance to the people of Kashmir that their security will be well looked after so that they can carry on with their daily lives without fear,” sources said, adding, “a similar assurance was given to the tourists who are visiting the valley of Kashmir”.
The meeting was co-chaired by Lt Gen Subrata Saha, GOC Chinar Corps and Security Advisor, and Director General, J&K Police K Rajendra Kumar. Chief of Staff Chinar Corps, GOC Vajra Division, GOC Dagger Division, GOC Victor Force, GOC Kilo Force, GOC 31 Sub Area, Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Inspector General (IG) CRPF, IGP CID, IGP Kashmir Zone, DIG BSF, Joint Director Intelligence Bureau (IB) and Assistant Commissioner Special Bureau also attended the meeting.
Expressing happiness on the synchronization of actions amongst various intelligence agencies, Lt Gen Saha also lauded the coordination amongst different security agencies.
He emphasized on maintaining a high level of preparedness to deal with natural disasters and highlighted the need for all stake holders to be concerned about environmental issues.
Echoing similar sentiments, Rajendra Kumar spoke about the deployment of additional CAPF and their orientation for which all agencies were working together. The DGP assured the meeting on the effectiveness of law and order control measures in place.
Further proactive measures to prevent recurrence of recent attacks on mobile tower operators and civilians as witnessed in Sopore area were discussed in detail during the meeting.
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