Release of leaders, restoration of Internet discussed
Security forces to step up anti-militancy ops
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Jan 2: Lieutenant Governor Girish Chandra Murmu here today held high-level review of security situation in Jammu and Kashmir along with Senior Security Advisor in Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Incharge Jammu and Kashmir and North East, K Vijay Kumar and top brass of civil and police administration in which release of political leaders, gradually easing curbs on mobile internet services, situation on the borders and general areas and stepping-up anti-militancy operations in the Valley during winters figured prominently.
Kumar, who was the Advisor Incharge Home Department with former Governor Satya Pal Malik in the erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir, is on a two-day visit to the Union Territory for review of security situation as a follow-up of high-level meeting chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi on December 24.
Apart from Murmu and Kumar, the security review meeting was attended by Chief Secretary BVR Subrahmanyam, Director General of Police (DGP) Dilbag Singh and Inspector General of Police (IGP), Jammu Zone Mukesh Singh.
Sources told the Excelsior that gradual release of political leaders in Kashmir valley, who were under detention either in make-shift jails or houses and slowly lifting restrictions on mobile internet services in the Union Territory were discussed taking into account all aspects of the situation especially the fact that peace and normalcy in the Valley prevailing since August 5 when the Central Government had scrapped special Constitutional provisions of Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcated the erstwhile State into two Union Territories of J&K and Ladakh, shouldn’t be disturbed.
The meeting was of the view that maintenance of peace was must and decisions like release of political leaders and lifting restrictions on mobile internet services can wait for some time.
It may be mentioned here that Union Home Minister Amit Shah has left decision on release of political leaders and lifting restrictions on mobile internet services to the Union Territory administration.
Political leaders were arrested and mobile internet services were snapped in Jammu and Kashmir ahead of August 5 Central decisions. Mobile telephone, landline phones, broadband and SMS services, which were also suspended in the Valley, have been restored gradually.
Sources said the security forces proposed to step-up operations against the militants in Kashmir now as they had slowed down a bit since August 5 with focus shifting to maintenance of peace and normalcy. With normalcy now returning in the Valley, the high-level security review meeting decided to intensify anti-militancy operations at a time when the militants were reported to have shifted to plains due to heavy snowfall in upper reaches.
According to sources, reshuffle in police administration was also discussed at the meeting and it could take place shortly.
Situation prevailing along the borders where Pakistan was regularly violating ceasefire and targeting civilian areas was also reviewed at the security meeting, sources said, adding that safety and security of civilians was discussed in length.
“The Union Territory Government was concerned about protection of the border dwellers as there seems to be no let up in ceasefire violations by the Pakistan army,’’ sources said.
In addition, according to sources, the local issues were also discussed threadbare in the meeting.
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