MHA reviews J&K situation with top officials
Anti-militancy ops, drone activities on agenda
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Feb 22: Security situation in Jammu and Kashmir during upcoming summer came up for a high-level review at a meeting in the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) attended by entire top brass of MHA and civil, police and Intelligence officials from Jammu and Kashmir.
“Besides security review in hinterland and situation prevailing along Line of Control (LoC) and International Border (IB), a proposal for relocation of troops including withdrawal of Army from some areas and their replacement with CRPF was also discussed but a final call hasn’t been taken,” official sources told the Excelsior.
Besides top brass of civil, Intelligence and police administration, two Additional DGPs heading Jammu and Kashmir divisions including Mukesh Singh and Vijay Kumar had also been specially called to the meeting as the Home Ministry went into ground level review of the situation.
A proposal has been mooted for phased withdrawal of Army from some pockets of Jammu and Kashmir divisions and replace them with CRPF in view of normalcy prevailing in some of the districts which are by and large free from the militancy though the militants continue to make attempts to revive the terror activities there unsuccessfully.
Making it clear that no final decision has been taken so far on withdrawal of troops, sources said it will be discussed with all stakeholders before reaching at a conclusion. They added that if approved five districts in Jammu and three districts in Kashmir could be taken up for phased withdrawal of replacement of troops with CRPF.
“Intensifying anti-militancy operations in Kashmir during summer also came up for high-level discussion in the meeting,” sources said, adding the operations are on and will be further stepped-up shortly as winter season is close to over.
Top officials of Jammu and Kashmir Police, Intelligence agencies and civil administration have detailed feedback of the prevailing situation in the Union Territory to the Home Ministry officials. There was general view that militancy has been contained to a large extent and number of the militants, both locals and foreigners, is at all time low and police is now targeting Over Ground Workers (OGWs) network of the militants.
Officials were of the view that Jammu Police have gathered vital leads in terror attack at Dhangri in the border district of Rajouri in which seven civilians from minority community were killed and over dozen others were injured. Elimination of the militants involved in the carnage is now only a matter of time, they said.
Sources said the progress on casting 360-degree security net in Jammu region as assured by Union Home Minister Amit Shah during his visit here on January 13 in the aftermath of Dhangri attack, was also reviewed. Shah had set deadline of three months for providing 360-degree security net in the region and strengthening Security Grid.
As far as security situation along the Line of Control (LoC) and International Border (IB) is concerned, sources said the MHA was briefed that most of the infiltration attempts by the militants have been thwarted by the security personnel.
However, the drone activities remained a cause of concern though no such attempts have been observed during past few days on the International Border in Jammu region.
Pakistan-based militants have largely been using drones to send arms and ammunition and narcotics to Jammu and Kashmir but security forces are not allowing these bids to succeed because of alertness on both LoC as well as International Border.
As per the sources, various other issues of security also figured at the two-hour long meeting.
Sources were of the view that if the proposal for phased withdrawal of Army from parts of Jammu and Kashmir gets through, the UT will need additional troops of paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) for replacement.
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