Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, June 28: Army and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) today said that they have deployed enough forces for the security of Amarnath Yatra to protect it from militant attacks.
General Officer Commanding (GOC) 15 Corps, Lt General JS Sandhu, told reporters on the sidelines of inauguration of Gingal bridge in Uri that Army has deployed its troops for the protection of Amarnath Yatra.
“You know Geelani Sahib has said there is no threat to Amarnath Yatra. Besides we have reports that they may attack the Yatra. We have deployed our forces and we will make every effort to protect it and we hope Yatra will pass off peacefully”, the GOC said.
Lt Gen Sandhu said that 5 army battalions have been deployed for Yatra and highway security. “We have deployed two Battalions of army for the Amarnath Yatra security and besides we have deployed 3 more battalions for the protection of the National highway”, he said.
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DIG CRPF in South Kashmir, Mohsin Shahedi, told reporters that the force is ready to meet all contingencies for safety and security of Amarnath Yatra. “We have ensured that all the measures are in place and we will ensure a very safe, secure and comfortable yatra this time. We have prepared to meet all the contingencies. We have very effective deployment right from Jawahar tunnel right upto the holy cave. There are the base camps and transit camps which are well catered to meet any contingencies”, he said.
The DIG said that there were reporters earlier as well about militants trying to target the Yatra but troops are ready to tackle it. “The inputs have there been earlier also and we are well catered to take care of all the contingencies. We have identified vulnerable areas and we have standing QRTs. The CCTV cameras have been installed and surveillance drones are also there”, he said.
And in the meantime, GOC Lt Gen Sandhu on successes of the army against infiltrators this year said that troops have killed 35 militants along the LoC this year. “Whenever militants come towards our side we take action and we killed lot of terrorists on the LoC during last two months and as per my knowledge we have perhaps killed 34-35 militants on the LoC”, he added.
The GOC said that there would be attempts of infiltration again and troops are ready to foil them. “Pakistan will continue its efforts to push in terrorists and in a few days as Eid is over now, they will try again to send it terrorists and we will foil their designs”, he said.
Lt Gen Sandhu said that operations in Srinagar have been launched after reports about presence of militants. “Whenever there is information about presence of terrorists, normally Srinagar is being handled by police and CRPF, we launch operations. It is normal pattern of operations that is why they have launched operations”, he said.
And in the meantime, police and CRPF conducted searches in Chanpora, Lal Bazar and Lawveypora area of Srinagar after reports about presence of militants in these areas. It may be mentioned here that security forces has been conducting searches in Srinagar after reports about presence of at least one dozen militants in different parts of the city.
In Central Kashmir district of Budgam security forces faced stone pelting as they were returning from anti-militancy operation today.
Clashes erupted between protesters and security forces in Chadoora town after a cordon and search operation was launched today. Youth pelted stones on security forces while they were withdrawing from the area. The security forces retaliated by lobbing tear smoke shells. Earlier, a cordon and search operation was launched in Higher Secondary school area of Chadoora town.
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