Admn asked to manage security from internal resources
Hilly areas of Jammu left untouched
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Apr 3: The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has decided to temporarily withdraw nearly 150 companies of paramilitary forces from Jammu and Kashmir in view of ongoing elections in five States/UT especially for sensitive West Bengal and has asked the administration to fill the gaps from internal resources i.e. the deployment of Jammu and Kashmir Police (JKP), Armed Police, Indian Reserve Police (IRP) etc.
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However, the UT administration has been assured that the paramilitary companies will be back once the election process is over in the States/UT.
Official sources told the Excelsior that companies of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Border Security Force (BSF) and Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) are being withdrawn from both divisions of Jammu and Kashmir.
“First phase of withdrawal has been completed while rest two phases will be over in next one week,” they said, adding that the paramilitary forces have been withdrawn from less vulnerable areas and are being replaced with JKP, Armed Police, IRP and other available resources within the Union Territory.
As per the sources, the withdrawal of paramilitary personnel took place after lot of reviews by various security and Intelligence agencies who identified the areas from where the troops can be pulled back for some time.
“The UT administration has been assured that the paramilitary forces will be back within days after completion of election process in all five States/UT in first week of May,” the sources said. In addition, they added, in the month of June additional paramilitary companies will reach Jammu and Kashmir for smooth conduct of annual pilgrimage to holy cave shrine of Shri Amarnath Ji depending on the schedule of yatra which is yet to be announced by Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB).
Assembly elections are scheduled to be held in Kerala, Assam and Puducherry on April 9, Tamil Nadu on April 23 and West Bengal in two phases on April 23 and 29. Counting will take place on May 4.
“The Central Armed Police Forces being withdrawn from Jammu and Kashmir will be deployed in West Bengal only, which is sensitive among all States/UT going to polls this month,” the sources said.
They, however, maintained that hilly and upper reaches of the Jammu region where some foreign terrorists are suspected to be hiding remained untouched from the temporary withdrawal of paramilitary forces and anti-terror operations there are going on with full force.
“The mountains of Doda, Kishtwar, Kathua, Udhampur, Reasi, Rajouri and Poonch have been left untouched from temporary withdrawal. Rather, the presence of security forces is being strengthened there to step-up the operations as snow has gradually started melting now,” they said.
It may be mentioned here that in the month of February, security forces killed four top terrorists of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) outfit including their commander Saifullah in the mountains of Chatroo in Kishtwar district. Still, there were reports that few more terrorists may be hiding in the upper reaches of Kathua, Udhampur, Doda, Kishtwar, Rajouri and Poonch districts. However, they keep moving from one mountain to other as they are connected through Pir Panjal ranges.
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