'Fight Against Terrorism In Decisive Phase': Home Minister Amit Shah In J&K Security Review Meet

Union Home Minister Amit Shah chaired a high-level meeting in Delhi on Sunday to review the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir and the preparations for the annual Amarnath pilgrimage set to begin on June 29.

This comes just three days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi also held a similar meeting, directing officials to deploy the "full spectrum of counter-terror capabilities" after a series of terror incidents, including a bus attack on a bus carrying pilgrims.

In the meeting, Home Minister directed all security agencies to work in a mission mode and ensure quick response in a coordinated manner.

He said that the fight against terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir is in its decisive phase and added that recent incidents show that terrorism has been forced to shrink from highly organised acts of terrorist violence to a mere proxy war.

AMIT SHAH'S REVIEW MEETING | KEY DETAILS

• Home Minister Amit Shah chaired a high-level meeting at North Block in the national capital on Saturday. He reviewed Jammu and Kashmir's security situation and took stock of the preparations for the annual Amarnath Yatra.

• The Home Minister was given a thorough briefing and was informed that operations against terrorists will be carried out in line with the instructions given by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

• Of those present at the meeting were National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir Manoj Sinha, Army Chief General Manoj Pande, Army Chief-designate Lt. General Upendra Dwivedi, Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla, Director of Intelligence Bureau Tapan Deka, Director General of CRPF Anish Dayal Singh, Director General of Jammu and Kashmir Police R R Swain and other top security officials.

• Sources said that the Home Minister was also informed about the security situation, deployment of forces along the International Border and Line of Control (LoC), infiltration attempts, the status of ongoing anti-terror operations and strength of terrorists operating in the Union Territory.

• In connection to the annual Amarnath Yatra, which is set to begin on June 29, Amit Shah is likely to press on the need for providing hassle-free arrangements on the route from the airport and railway stations to the pilgrimage base camp. He is also expected to give directions on proper security measures for all pilgrims.

WHAT IS HAPPENING IN J&K?

Within the last four days, terrorists struck in four different locations in Jammu and Kashmir districts of Reasi, Kathua and Doda, killing nine pilgrims and a CRPF Jawan. At least seven security personnel and several others were also left injured.

Doda police had also released the sketches of four terrorists who are roaming in the upper reaches of Bhaderwah, Thathri, and Gandoh and are involved in terror-related activities. Jammu and Kashmir police announced a cash reward of Rs 5 lakhs for providing the inforation of each terrorist.

Meanwhile in Kathua, two suspected Pakistani terrorists were gunned down during an encounter with security forces. Officials also recovered a large amount of arms and ammunition from them.

AMARNATH YATRA

These recent instances of terror attacks come just ahead of the Amarnath yatra, an annual pilgrimage to the cave shrine which is situated at a height of 3,880 metres in the south Kashmir Himalayas.

The pilgrimage will go on from June 29 to August 19. Notably, the Amarnath pilgrims travel through two routes -- Baltal and Pahalgam -- in Jammu and Kashmir.

Sources have said that the number of pilgrims visiting the shrine this year could go up to five lakh, in comparison to last year's 4.28 lakh people.

All the pilgrims are likely to be given RFID cards so that their real-time locations can be tracked and everyone will also be provided with an insurance cover of Rs 5 lakh.

For each animal carrying the pilgrims, there will also be an insurance cover of Rs 50,000.

(With PTI inputs)