Amit Shah heads crucial meeting on J&K security

Amit Shah, the Union Home Minister, presided over a significant security assessment session concerning Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday. The agenda involved an evaluation of the security framework’s performance and other pertinent security-related factors. Additionally, there will be a comprehensive scrutiny of the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir, particularly in light of recent incidents in the region.

In the meeting, Shah also focused on complete area domination and better coordination among Police, Army and Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) deployed in Jammu and Kashmir.

The Home Minister emphasized the importance of enhancing and fortifying local intelligence within the Union Territory. The gathering was set to assess the area control strategy, anti-terrorism measures, the prevailing law and order conditions, cases involving the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, and various other security-related issues. Present at the meeting were Jammu and Kashmir’s Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha, Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, as well as key figures such as the Director Generals of the National Investigation Agency, Central Reserve Police Force, and Border Security Force, alongside relevant officials from the Ministry of Home Affairs and Jammu and Kashmir.

National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla, Director Intelligence Bureau Tapan Deka and Army Chief General Manoj Pande were also present in the meeting.

The meeting was held days after four soldiers were killed and three injured following an encounter started after terrorists fired at two army vehicles passing through Dera Ki Gali in Rajouri’s Poonch region at around 3.45 pm on December 21 last year.
In November last year, five soldiers including two Captains were also killed in action after the Army and its special forces launched an anti-terror operation in Rajouri’s Kalakote.

In April and May 2023, 10 soldiers were killed in action in twin attacks in the Rajouri-Poonch region. This region had been largely free of terrorism between 2003 and 2021, after which frequent encounters started happening. Over 35 soldiers have been killed in action during anti-terror operations in the area during 2021 and 2022.

Pir Panjal, which also comprises Rajouri district besides Poonch and parts of Reasi districts, has witnessed a spike in militancy in recent years with several Army soldiers losing their lives after being ambushed by militants in the region, said sources in the security wing.

The Home Minister had chaired a similar high-level review meeting on the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir on January 13 last year and said that all security agencies are fighting a decisive battle against terrorism following the policy of zero tolerance against terrorism under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

He had also said that a 360-degree security mechanism would be further strengthened to completely eliminate the support and information systems of terrorists.
The Minister had also held a review meeting on the security situation of the Union Territory in the national capital on April 13 last year wherein he reviewed the functioning of the security grid and various aspects related to security and reiterated that under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, the government of India is committed towards zero tolerance against terrorism.