Home secretary likely to visit valley in coming week
Srinagar: In view of the increase in number of encounters coupled with latest in Halmatpora Kupwara, in which five armed personnel were killed, the ministry of Home affairs has deliberated upon the situation to further strengthen the military grid in Jammu and Kashmir.
During the review the MHA thoroughly discussed Kupwara encounter, held a comprehensive review of overall situation in various parts of the Jammu and Kashmir including the threat perceptions from across the borders.
Sources told KNS that the review was held on the directions of home minister Rajnath Singh wherein he had asked the top authorities to take all the steps required to keep militancy under check in the Jammu and Kashmir.
Sources said that the top brass of the MHA especially those associated with the Internal Security deliberated on the series of aspects to keep the situation under control as has been done during the past two years.
“MHA top brass was satisfied with the progress of ‘Operation All Out’ launched against militants by security forces in Kashmir in which number of militants including top commanders have been killed on hinterland while series of infiltration attempts have been foiled on the borders,” sources quoting MHA said.
According to sources, the activities of the militants, infiltration bids across the border, ‘strengthening security on all routes, which the militants could take for infiltration’ in JK came up for detailed review.
According to sources, while assessing internal security situation and reports of presence of militants in the valley, the MHA has directed the forces in Jammu and Kashmir to be in high alert of any possibility of attacks.
“An advisory has already been issued to all para-military forces to maintain extraordinary vigil on their security establishments in Jammu and Kashmir including those located close to the Line of Control (LoC) and International Border (IB), to guard against possible attack in view of the Intelligence inputs, which suggested that more such attacks can’t be ruled out,” sources said.
Sources also said that top officials were satisfied with the steps already initiated by security forces in Jammu and Kashmir to check the militant activities in the hinterland and curbing infiltration along Line of Control and International Border.
However sources said that the MHA top brass stressed for maintenance of Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) during all operations and called upon the troops to show zero tolerance towards infiltration and other militant activities.
Meanwhile sources told KNS that Union Home Secretary is visiting the Kashmir for two days in coming week for high-level review of security situation.
It is to mention here that more than 3398 security personnel were killed in Jammu and Kashmir by militants in last one and half decade.
(With inputs from KNS)
