Infiltration, security measures reviewed at high level meet

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Aug 1: Top brass of police, civil administration, Army, para-military forces and Intelligence agencies here today held a high level review of security situation especially in the wake of series of infiltration attempts on the Line of Control (LoC) and International Border (IB) and Pakistan’s attempts to push trained militants into this side before Independence Day celebrations.
The meeting comes ahead of August 15 celebrations, Budha Amarnath Ji Yatra, Raksha Bandhan, Eid and Janamashtami festivals apart from Machail Mata yatra, all of which fall this month. Ongoing Amarnath Ji pilgrimage will also continue till August 21 coinciding with Sharavan Purnima and Raksha Bandhan.
Sources said representatives of all agencies including Army, police, BSF, CRPF, IB, CID (Counter Intelligence), civil administration and other para-military and Intelligence agencies operating in the State attended the meeting that lasted about three hours.
While DIGs and SSPs of Jammu were present in the meeting, the officers of same rank in other zones and districts of Jammu region joined through video conferencing.
Inspector General of Police, Jammu Zone, Rajesh Kumar told the Excelsior after the meeting that all aspects of security scenario came under review in the meeting.
“Representatives of all agencies gave their inputs pertaining to infiltration attempts on the LoC and IB, presence of militants on Pakistan and PoK side across the borders and security arrangements for Independence Day and all other festivals and yatras, which have already started and would continue this month,” Mr Kumar, who chaired the meeting, said.
He added that all security agencies including police were fully geared to meet with any kind of situation. To a question as to whether successful infiltration has been reported from any part of LoC or IB, he replied in negative. He said Army and BSF were maintained a high alert on the borders followed by police, which was in the second line. He, however, admitted spurt in the intrusion bids on the LoC.
Official sources said the meeting devised a joint strategy to strengthen `Counter Militancy Grid’ in Jammu region to ward off any possibility of a terror strike during the festival season and pilgrimages including Amarnath Yatra, Budha Amarnath yatra and Machail Mata yatra. Independence Day, Eid and Raksha Bandhan are also falling this month.
Sources said there had been inputs that militants could make more infiltration attempts both from LoC and IB as they were desperate to sneak-in to create a terror attack.
Apart from infiltration, sources said, the meeting also reviewed security and law and order situation within the Jammu region. The incident of Dharam, Gool in which the security forces had opened firing on the protesters leading to four fatal casualties and injuries to 42 others also figured in the meeting.
Sources said the IGP Jammu has directed all Zonal DIGs and district SSPs of the region, who were present in the meeting or who joined through video conferencing, to ensure adequate security arrangements during festival season and pilgrimages so that law and order was not disturbed.
He directed the authorities of Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban districts to ensure that communal harmony was not disturbed as some attempts to this effect have been made in Kishtwar and Bhaderwah, which were tackled immediately and effectively by the police personnel.

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