Home Secy chairs high-level meeting on J&K
Top brass from J&K, CAPFs, MHA attend
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Nov 17: Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla today held high-level review of security situation in Jammu and Kashmir with top officials of UT’s police administration, MHA officials Incharge J&K and heads of Central para-military forces and Intelligence agencies in New Delhi.
“A strategy was discussed to tackle the new threat posed by hybrid militants in the Kashmir valley who are engaged in targeted civilian killings especially those of non-locals and minorities,” the officials told the Excelsior.
Integrated Security Grids for the International Border to check any kind of infiltration by the militants and arms dropping through drones was also discussed threadbare, they said.
Chaired by Bhalla, the high-level security review meeting among others was attended by Director General of Police (DGP) Dilbag Singh, Additional Director General Headquarters Manish Kishore Sinha from Jammu and Kashmir, DGs of BSF and CRPF, top officials of Intelligence Bureau (IB) and senior officers from MHA Incharge Jammu and Kashmir desk.
The meeting lasted two hours.
“All security related issues pertaining to Jammu and Kashmir figured in the meeting but the focus remained on hybrid militants who have become a new headache for the security agencies and were engaged in targeted civilian killings, mainly non-locals and minorities leading to unrest among them,” the officials said.
They added that a comprehensive strategy has been formulated which is being put in place to check the hybrid militants. The strategy will be jointly implemented by Army, Central Armed Police Force (CAPFs), Jammu and Kashmir Police and Intelligence agencies.
Security agencies operating in Kashmir and carrying out operations against the militants will remain in touch with top anti-militancy experts of various agencies based in New Delhi, sources said, adding the experts will undertake regular visits to Kashmir to maintain liaison with security forces in the UT.
“Certain issues of Jammu and Kashmir Police pending with the MHA were also taken up during the meeting,” sources said.
There was also a mention of Hyderpora Srinagar encounter in the meeting. However, the position of Jammu and Kashmir Police is very clear on the gun battle and there has been no change in the stance.
Integrated Security Grids for the International Border to check infiltration and arms dropping using drones by Pakistan army and the militants from across the border were also discussed.
“There was also a view that arms dropping through drones has come down due to strict surveillance being maintained by security forces,” the officials said.
The National Security Guards (NSG) had deployed anti-drone technology near Jammu and Srinagar Airports to tackle the threat.
However, as per the Intelligence sources, the incidents of arms dropping through drones from Pakistan side on the Line of Control as well as International Border have gone down in view of strict surveillance being maintained by Army, BSF and other security agencies.
“Anti-drone technology has also been deployed at some of the forward areas,” sources pointed out.
Fourteen civilians have so far been killed during past one and a half month in targeted killings by the hybrid militants. The victims include members from minorities and non-locals. Large number of non-locals, mainly from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, had migrated after the killings.
Ongoing operations against the militants especially during winter also came for review during the meeting.
As per the officials, security forces could launch offensive against the militants in the winters as many militants who are hiding in hilly areas will come down to plains due to snowfall.
For the purpose, the Home Ministry has already deputed 55 additional companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) to the Kashmir valley recently including 30 of CRPF and 25 from BSF.
It may be mentioned here that only few days back, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha had met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi and briefed him on security situation, developmental works/projects and other important issues of the Union Territory.
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