MHA wants fool-proof security for 60-day Amarnath Ji yatra

HS holds review with Army, CRPF, J&K top brass

Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Apr 26: Union Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba today reviewed arrangements for this year’s Shri Amarnath Ji pilgrimage in South Kashmir Himalayas at a high-level meeting with top officials of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, all para-military forces, Army and Intelligence agencies and top brass of both civil and police administration from Jammu and Kashmir in which it was decided to place “entire security apparatus” in place well in advance especially in South Kashmir, where number of militants, both foreigners and locals were still present despite series of successful operations.
Apart from Gauba, top MHA officials including Incharge Internal Security and Jammu and Kashmir desk, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) chief RR Bhatnagar, Chief Secretary BB Vyas, Home Secretary RK Goyal and Director General of Police (DGP) Dr Shesh Pal Vaid and representatives of para-military forces and Army, who will be involved in providing security cover to the pilgrims attended the meeting besides Intelligence officials in the Union capital that lasted two and half hours.
The high-level security review meeting, which exclusively discussed security for Shri Amarnath Ji pilgrimage which would be for duration of two months this year i.e. from June 28 to August 26, called for making all security arrangements for the pilgrimage well in advance in complete coordination with all security agencies including Army, CRPF, JKP, ITBP and others, who will be assigned the task of security arrangements for 60-day long Amarnath yatra
“It will be a multiple-tier security arrangement comprising the Army, para-military forces and the Jammu and Kashmir Police for the Amarnath pilgrimage starting June 28,” sources said, adding that security arrangements this year will be more than the last year keeping in view the militant attack on a pilgrim bus in which some yatris were killed and injured.
“Tracking of pilgrims’ movement through satellites, installation of jammers, CCTV cameras and bulletproof bunkers, deployment of dog squads, quick reaction teams and thousands of security personnel will be a part of the security drill along the pilgrimage routes as the situation in Kashmir valley continues to be volatile,” sources said.
Sources said the MHA has agreed to provide as many companies of para-military personnel as asked for by the Jammu and Kashmir Government for security of pilgrims. However, the MHA wants fool-proof security arrangements to be made for the pilgrims on both the tracks including traditional Chandanwari, which falls in Anantnag district of South Kashmir and Baltal in Ganderbal district of Central Kashmir besides Jammu-Pathankot and Jammu-Srinagar National Highways, base camps of Nunwan, Baltal and Jammu and other routes trekked by the pilgrims.
Sources said the top officers of Jammu and Kashmir, both from civil and police administration, briefed the Union Home Secretary on the arrangements that would be made for Shri Amarnath Ji pilgrims and projected their requirements from the Ministry of Home Affairs including number of additional companies to be deployed in the State for smooth yatra.
This year, according to sources, the deployment along yatra routes especially South Kashmir could be made well in advance to give enough time to the para-military personnel to conduct sanitization operations to secure the routes. They said the operations to flush out militants in South Kashmir could be intensified in the next couple of months before start of the pilgrimage to eliminate the militants, who could pose threat to the annual yatra.
This year, the period of yatra will be 20 days more than the previous year of 2017, which will be more challenging task for security forces. In 2017, the pilgrimage had last just 40 days while this year, duration of the yatra will be 60 days.
Sources said not only the security arrangements, the Centre Government also wants Jammu and Kashmir to take all arrangements to encourage participation of yatris from all parts of the country in the pilgrimage. Shri Amarnath Ji Shrine Board (SASB) will also be asked to ensure that more pilgrims join the yatra.
Around 35,000 to 40,000 troops were deployed during Shri Amarnath Ji pilgrimage in 2017. A total of 2.60 lakh pilgrims offered prayers at the revered shrine last year.
Situated in a narrow gorge at the farther end of Lidder Valley, Amarnath Ji shrine stands at 3,888 meters, 46 km from Pahalgam and 14 km from Baltal in the Kashmir valley.
As many as 60 incidents of terrorist violence have taken place in Jammu and Kashmir from January till mid-March this year. Fifteen security personnel and 17 terrorists were killed in such incidents, official data said.

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