Keeping in view the heightened infiltration attempts of terrorists from Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) and seizure of caches of arms and ammunition from hideouts of terrorists near the Line of Control (LoC), Governor NN Vohra on Friday convened a meeting of the top brass of the Army, security forces and intelligence agencies to review the security management issues.
The review comes following a series of infiltration attempts through the LoC in north Kashmir where four soldiers lost their life and a number of terrorists have been eliminated, arrest of a terrorist carrying eight hand grenades to New Delhi and smashing of terrorist hideouts where a large quantity of grenades, explosive devices, rifles and ammunition have been seized.
A spokesman of the Raj Bhawan said that considering the pattern of attempts at infiltration in the past 4 weeks, the Governor especially stressed the need of a heightened vigil along the International Border and LoC.
In view of killing of an intruder in the house of MP Farooq Abdullah and terrorist attacks at houses of political persons in the valley, Vohra asked the security forces to ensure safety of protected persons and the security of all important establishments and installations.
The meeting was attended by Lt. General. Ranbir Singh, Northern Army Commander; Vijay Kumar, Advisor to Governor; B.V.R. Subrahmanyam, Chief Secretary; S.P. Vaid, Director General of Police; Lt. Gen. A.K. Bhat, GOC 15 Corps; Umang Narula, Principal Secretary to Governor; R.K. Goyal, Principal Secretary Home; Muneer Khan, ADGP, Security and Law and Order; S.P. Pani, IGP, Kashmir; Ravideep Singh Sahi, IG, CRPF Kashmir; Sonali Mishra, IG, BSF and officers of State and Central Intelligence Agencies.
After obtaining sector- wise assessments of the prevailing security situation and arising challenges Governor Vohra reiterated the crucial importance of maintaining a sustained close watch on the ground situation, stressed the need to maintain sustained real-time coordination between the Security Forces and the Civil Administration and uncompromising adherence to procedures which ensure against collateral damages while delivering effective counter-terror responses.
The meeting also discussed issues relating to the security of the sharply reduced Shri Amarnathji Yatra and the need of a safe environment for the forthcoming elections to Urban Local Bodies and Panchayats.
Meanwhile, recovery of caches of arms and ammunition in the valley and in Jammu has set the alarm bells ringing for the security forces ahead of the Independence Day. Recovery of huge quantity of Chinese and other grenades and also Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) for remote control explosions are causing concern.
The security forces yesterday busted a terrorist hideout near the LoC in the arduous topography of Kath Panjal Nala in general area Chapriyan, Poonch district of Jammu and recovered a cache of one AK-56 Rifle with three magazines, one 7.62 rifle of foreign origin, four pistols with seven empty magazines, one revolver, four empty AK-47 magazines, 14 grenades, 273 rounds of AK 47 rifle, 97 rounds of AK 56 rifle, 31 rounds of pistol and other warlike stores.
In South Kashmir that has become hotspot of terrorism, security forces earlier this week arrested a Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terrorist Muzamil Ahmad Dar in Tral and recovered from him a cache of IEDs, Chinese grenades, hand grenades, detonators, cordex wire for exploding IEDs, circuit wires and fuses.
A team of Delhi police has reached here to interrogate the terrorist who was carrying grenades for being exploded in the national capital during the Independence Day celebrations.