Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, June 28: The Union Home Ministry today offered more para-military forces, if asked for, by the Jammu and Kashmir Government to counter spurt in terror attack by the militants and also decided to send more bullet-proof vehicles for the para-military to ensure that they carry out movement in vulnerable areas in these vehicles to avoid casualties in Pampore like attacks.
Decision to this effect were taken at a high level meeting chaired by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh for an hour in New Delhi after which a three-member team was deputed to Pampore in Kashmir for on spot assessment of the attack and review of security situation.
National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval and Intelligence Bureau (IB) chief Dineshwar Sharma briefed the meeting on security situation in Jammu and Kashmir particularly the Valley in the wake of Pampore attack and reports suggesting infiltration of militants from the Line of Control (LoC). Union Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi also attended the meeting.
Sources told the Excelsior that in an hour long review of security situation in Jammu and Kashmir, Rajnath Singh reportedly said that the Home Ministry was ready to move more Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) to Jammu and Kashmir, if such requirement was felt by the State Government or suggested by three-member MHA team, which reached Srinagar today from New Delhi for assessment of the situation and to go into lapses, if any, in the attack during which eight CRPF personnel were killed and 20 others injured.
“The Home Ministry will wait for return of its three-member high level team from Kashmir and its report before taking a decision on whether there was requirement for deployment of more CAPFs in Kashmir. But it will not take such a decision on its own and wait for requisition from CAPF heads operating in the Valley or the State Government,’’ sources said.
However, they added, the Home Ministry has decided to send more bullet-proof Vehicles for CAPFs in the Kashmir Valley to ensure that para-military forces move in vulnerable zones and militancy-infested areas in these vehicles to be in a better position to counter the terror attack while protecting themselves.
“The bullet-proof vehicles would soon be dispatched to the areas identified by the CAPFs from New Delhi and some other peaceful States,’’ they said, adding the para-military personnel have been asked to strictly follow Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) during movement and operations against the militants.
Though Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar had expressed doubts whether CRPF had followed SOP during movement in Pampore, CRPF Director General K Durga Prasad had yesterday made it clear that his jawans were following the SOP.
Admitting that deployment of more bullet-proof vehicles would go a long way in helping the CRPF personnel to launch operations against terrorists in better way, sources said the BP vehicles would start reaching the Valley very soon.
Sources said NSA Ajit Doval and IB chief Dineshwar Sharma gave detailed briefing in the meeting on security scenario in Jammu and Kashmir especially the steps take to prevent Pampore like attacks in future.
“A detailed strategy is being devised to counter the militant attacks and launch offensive against the militants in coordination with security forces and Jammu and Kashmir Police to neutralize them before they could carry out more such attacks,’’ sources said.
Meanwhile, a high level three-member team of the Union Home Ministry, deputed by Rajnath Singh to Kashmir, reached Srinagar this afternoon. The team had detailed inter-action with Director General of Police (DGP) K Rajendra and senior CRPF officials and civil administration.
The Home Ministry team comprised Susheel Kumar, Secretary (Border Management), Mahesh Kumar Singla, Special Secretary (Internal Security) and Gyanesh Kumar, Joint Secretary (Kashmir).
They will visit Pampore in Pulwama district of South Kashmir tomorrow morning for on spot assessment of the terror attack in which eight CRPF personnel were killed and about 20 others injured.
The team was also scheduled to meet top officials of CAPFs, Jammu and Kashmir Police, civil administration and political leadership to take their assessment of the situation and steps required to tackle the militant attacks.
They will submit their report to the Union Home Minister after return.
Sources said the team has also been asked to find out whether the SOP was followed by the CRPF personnel during their movement and the lapses, if any, on the part of CRPF, which led to eight fatal casualties of the jawans.
The Defence Ministry and the Home Ministry have already issued advisories to Army and CAPFs respectively to strictly adhere to the SOP, which is already in place, while moving from one place to another including the National Highways and other places.
“The SOP is already in place. The Ministries have asked their troops to ensure that it was strictly adhered to avoid Pampore like attack. The security personnel have also been asked to strengthen their movement and maintain high vigil during movement in the State in view of reports that some groups of militants have recently succeeded in infiltration from the LoC and could target them,’’ they said.
The major concern for the Home Ministry and the J&K Government was that majority of attacks on CRPF, BSF and police personnel in the recent past have taken place in South Kashmir and base camp of traditional Shri Amarnath ji yatra, which is starting on July 2, also falls at Nunwan, Pahalgam in Anantnag district of South Kashmir.
The Defence Ministry and the Home Ministry, in their advisories, have asked the troops and CAPFs respectively to take all precautions mentioned in the SOP during movement on National Highways, encounter with militants and maintaining law and order not only to avert collateral damage and keep their casualties to minimum while eliminating the militants.
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