Security Grid to be further strengthened
Will be involved in anti-terror operations
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Aug 2: After deployment of 3000 more Army and 2000 BSF personnel in various parts of Jammu, the Central Government has decided to move two battalions of Assam Rifles in the region to strengthen Counter-Militancy Grid and step-up operations against the foreign terrorists hiding in upper reaches of different districts.
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A decision to deploy two battalions of Assam Rifles (approximate 2000 personnel) in the Jammu region has been taken by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs following spurt in terror attacks and reports that more than 50 foreign terrorists could be hiding in the forests of Doda, Udhampur, Poonch, Rajouri, Reasi and Kathua districts.
“Two thousand personnel of Assam Rifles are being moved from strife-torn Manipur to the Jammu region. These two battalions were deployed in once violence-hit Manipur from where they have been directed to shift to Jammu,” official sources told the Excelsior.
The battalions will be moving out shortly for Jammu and will be replaced in Manipur by an equal number of paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jawans, they said.
The Assam Rifles comes under the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and operational control of Army headed by a Lieutenant General-rank officer as the Director General.
Earlier, the Assam Rifles had been part of Annual Shri Amarnath Ji yatra security arrangements in Jammu and Kashmir. However, now they will be part of Security Grid and actively involved in anti-terror operations which are being intensified in the Jammu region by multiple security agencies including Army, paramilitary forces and Jammu and Kashmir Police (JKP).
“Addition of nearly 2000 jawans of Assam Rifles in the Jammu region will further strengthen Security Grid and help security forces take on the terrorists in jungles and hills where they have taken shelter including inside some natural cave hideouts,” the sources said.
Few days back, the MHA had airlifted 2000 Border Security Force (BSF) jawans from Odisha for deployment along the International Border in Jammu, Samba and Kathua districts as it was suspected that some of the Pakistani terrorists had infiltrated from the border in these areas as well as neighbouring Punjab.
Prior to this, 3000 more Army personnel were deployed in the region for stepping-up operations against the terrorists.
Army, CRPF and JKP have also started establishing permanent pickets in the mountainous areas in the region which will be manned 24×7 to keep strict vigil on the terrorists and eliminate them by taking out regular patrol in the forest areas.
“The strategy will deliver as it will not only keep the hiding militants under check but also stop more terrorists from entering into jungles to take shelter in natural hideouts. Further, movement of the Over Ground Workers (OGWs) who might supply food and other items to the terrorists will be contained,” the officials said.
At all these pickets, local police will also be in the forefront as they are well-versed with the routes leading to the forests.
Security forces are also in the process of setting up camps in vulnerable areas other than the forests to keep vigil on any kind of movement of the terrorists. The Special Operation Group (SOG) of Jammu Police has also been setting up its camps in the mountainous areas of the region.
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