CHANDIGARH, July 3: Special Director General of Punjab Police Arpit Shukla chaired a security review meeting in Pathankot on Wednesday on the ongoing Amarnath Yatra in Jammu and Kashmir. Police chiefs of neighbouring states and senior Army, IAF, BSF and central agency officials attended it.
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The annual Amarnath pilgrimage began in the neighbouring Union territory on Saturday via the Nunwan-Pahalgam route in Anantnag and the Baltal route in Ganderbal. The 52-day yatra attracts pilgrims from across the country and abroad.
Shukla, Punjab’s special DGP for law and order, said police have enhanced security arrangements in areas near the borders by deploying 550 more personnel, Special Operations Group teams, sniper detachments, bomb disposal and other commando units. Punjab Police is on high alert, he added.
Shukla said drone surveillance systems are keeping a vigil and joint checkposts have been set up in Pathankot along with the BSF.
Regular cordon-and-search and anti-tunnelling operations are being conducted, he added.
The meeting was attended by the senior officers of the Punjab Police, Jammu & Kashmir Police, Himachal Pradesh Police, Army, Indian Air Force, Border Security Force and other central agencies.
The meeting focused on strategic preparations for the Amarnath Yatra, encompassing diverse aspects such as police deployment, security measures, traffic management and disaster management, according to an official statement.
“The review also focused on recent incidents involving sightings of armed suspects in Kot Bhattian village, Bamial, and an encounter with an armed suspect in Kathua district,” it said.
Shukla also deliberated on securing the International Border and ensuring the safety of the devotees going on the pilgrimage.
Underscoring the necessity of comprehensive disaster management arrangements to address any natural calamities that may arise, he stressed the need to implement standard operating procedures to handle eventualities such as fire incidents or flash floods.
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