Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, July 14: In the wake of week-long unrest in the Kashmir valley that has claimed lives of 37 persons and left 3140 others injured including 1500 security personnel, Army tonight moved its two fully equipped infantry battalions from Nagrota Corps Headquarters, Jammu to Srinagar to strengthen its Security Grid and “meet all kind of requirements”.
Highly placed sources told the Excelsior tonight that two infantry battalions of the Army, which comprised about 2000 troops, tonight moved from 16 Corps headquarters at Nagrota for the Kashmir valley to strengthen the Security Grid in view of nearly week long unrest in the Valley and massive protests after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen divisional commander Burhan Wani.
A decision to shift two Infantry battalions of the troops from Jammu to Srinagar was taken at the highest level to ensure that the Security Grid was not affected due to ongoing disturbances in the Valley.
“The troops would be deployed as per the requirements,” sources said, adding the Army didn’t want to get its anti-infiltration and anti-militancy Grids disturbed.
According to sources, the movement of two fully equipped Infantry battalions of the Army from Jammu to Srinagar were “connected to everything”-be it the present situation, recent spurt in militancy and infiltration attempts from the Line of Control (LoC).
Describing the movement of nearly 2000 troops to Kashmir as “quite significant”, sources said the decision to shift the troops to the trouble prone Valley would serve various purposes including strengthening of the Security Grid to keep infiltration and militancy under check.
“In view of present situation, the movement of two Army battalions to Kashmir will handle all exigencies”, sources remarked.
Meanwhile, in another decision aimed at ensuring “perfect coordination” between Centre and State Governments in dealing with week-long unrest in the Kashmir valley, the Government of India has appointed National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval as coordinator between the two Governments to regularly assess situation in the State and keep the Union Home Ministry informed about latest developments” and “requirements of security agencies”, mainly the para-military forces and Jammu and Kashmir Police, which were engaged in tackling the ongoing protests.
Sources said the Central Government has authorized the NSA, a former Director of Intelligence Bureau, to act as coordinator between the Centre and the State Governments by holding regular security reviews and monitoring situation telephonically by staying in touch with top brass of all security agencies operating in Jammu and Kashmir and engaged in restoration of normalcy in the Kashmir valley, which has been shattered after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen divisional commander Burhan Wani.
“The NSA is already on the job passing on instructions and seeking requirements of security agencies including para-military CRPF and Jammu and Kashmir police. A master in the Intelligence gathering, Doval’s experience has been yielding results,” sources said, adding that the Centre Government has been fulfilling all requirements of the State Government not only daily but even hourly basis, whenever asked for.
Asserting that the Centre has left the restoration of peace and normalcy in Jammu and Kashmir to the State Government, they said, the para-military forces and Jammu and Kashmir Police has so far exercised “maximum restraint”, which was evident from the fact that nearly 1,000 CRPF personnel have been injured in the week long protests in which 34 persons have been killed and hundreds of others injured.
Sources said instead of holding regular security review meetings, the Home Ministry would now act on the inputs provided to them by the NSA after his inter-action with security agencies, Government officials and, if required, the political leadership of Jammu and Kashmir.
Noting that coordination between Centre and State Governments has been excellent and the former was quick to respond to the situation by sending 14 additional companies of para-military CRPF from New Delhi to Kashmir and one company from Jammu to the Valley, sources said the Centre has made it clear to the State agencies that it was ready to meet their all demands in restoration of peace and normalcy in the State.
“The Centre has already issued directions to the para-military forces to exercise maximum restraint and ensure that the innocent persons were not harassed,” they said, adding this was evident from the fact that nearly 1000 CRPF personnel have been injured so far in stoning and other activities of the protesters. Police have also suffered several non-fatal casualties while one of their SPO was drowned in river Jhelum by the mob. Apart from this, several police stations, posts and pickets have been torched by the protesters.
Apart from security situation, the Centre was also concerned about annual pilgrimage of Shri Amarnath Ji, which it wants to conduct peacefully at any cost.
Meanwhile, the Centre has taken note of a joint meeting held by the militant commanders of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT), Hizbul Mujahideen and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) yesterday in which all three militant outfits were reported to have decided to “exploit prevailing situation” in Kashmir to flare-up trouble in the Kashmir valley.
It may be mentioned here that a day before Prime Minister Narendra Modi had chaired a high-level meeting on Kashmir situation in New Delhi and assured full assistance to Jammu and Kashmir Government in restoration of normalcy in the State.
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