Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 15: Governor N N Vohra chaired a meeting at the Raj Bhavan here today to particularly review the existing arrangements for the safety and security of all vital civil and defence establishments and installations in J&K.
The Raj Bhavan spokesman informed that consequent to recurring terror attacks since September 2013 across the IB and LoC and more particularly the recent attack on the Air Force base at Pathankot, the Governor had been speaking to the State Chief Secretary, Police Chief, Northern Army Commander and senior Commanders of Security Forces and urging them to undertake a time bound review of all existing security arrangements.
The spokesman recalled that the Governor has been repeatedly expressing anxiety over the recurrence of terror attacks across the Pakistan border. It was noted that since September 2013 two such attacks had taken place in 2013; three in 2014; six in 2015 and one in January 2016. It is significant that all these terror attacks targeted J&K Police, Central Armed Police Forces, Army and the Air Force.
In the attacks across the IB, three had taken place via Kathua; two via Samba; and one via Arnia. In the attacks across the LoC: one was on the Army Regimental Centre at Mohra in Uri Sector; and the other two in the Tanghdar Sector. The remaining were at Udhampur, Dina Nagar and Pathankot.
These 12 terror attacks, in the period since September 2013, resulted in the killing of 51 persons (Army-16; J&K Police-12; civilians-11; DSC-5; NSG-2; BSF-2; CRPF-2; MES-1) and 15 BSF personnel injured.
Vohra observed that in the post-Pathankot Air Base terror attack, it was of vital importance to review the existing status of the security of important Defence and State Government establishments in J&K. In this context, the senior most Civil, Police, Central Armed Police Force, Army, IAF and Intelligence Agency officers had been invited to participate in the meeting.
During the over three hour discussions, officers of the Army, security forces and State police informed about the actions already taken and those under way for ensuring that important establishments and installations were safeguarded. The Governor stressed the need of cohesive action being taken to enforce constant vigil on the frontiers, effectively maintaining internal security and ensuring the safety of sensitive establishments and installations.
In this context, he asked representatives of all the security forces and all other agencies to identify all existing gaps and ensure total fusion of manpower and technology resources on the ground for providing a prompt and strong counter terror response on all fronts.
The meeting also reviewed the security situation in all the border areas of the State, along the IB, LoC and the LAC and identified issues which required to be dealt with on urgent basis.
After discussions it was decided that a Multi Disciplinary Agency team comprising senior officers of the State Police, Central Armed Police Forces, Air Force, Army, Intelligence Agencies and other concerned stakeholders would undertake a complete Security Audit of all vital establishments and installations in J&K and complete this task by January 21.
While reiterating the importance of maintaining close coordination amongst all the departments and agencies the Governor stressed the need of appropriate prompt action being taken to ensure the safety and security of the civil population and use of available science and technology techniques to the maximum possible extent.
It was agreed that there would be a further Review Meeting at the end of January 2016.
The meeting was attended by B.R. Sharma, Chief Secretary; Lt Gen D.S. Hooda, GOC-in-C, Northern Command; Dr S.K. Bhagat, Special DG, CRPF; K. Rajendra, Director General of Police J&K; Lt Gen R.R. Nimborkar, GOC XVI Corps; Lt Gen S.K. Dua, GOC XV Corps; Lt Gen Ashok Ambre, GOC IX Corps; P.K. Tripathi, Principal Secretary to Governor; R.K. Goyal, Home Secretary; Dr Pawan Kotwal, Divisional Commissioner Jammu; Shri Danish Rana, IGP, Jammu; Rakesh Sharma, IG BSF, Jammu; Kuldip Dhar, IG CRPF, Jammu, and senior officers of the Jammu and Kashmir Police and Central Intelligence Agencies.
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