In a bid to formulate the strategy to counter the new wave of terrorism in the Jammu region of the union territory of J&K, Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan chaired high-level meetings with security forces officers here on Sunday.

In a meeting with the top brass of security forces, paramilitary forces and intelligence agencies, he assessed the security situation particularly in the Kathua district that has witnessed a series of terror strikes and civilian killings in recent times.

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The Kathua district was declared terrorism free a few years ago and revival of militant activities was causing concern among the people and the government.

The Home Secretary’s visit follows yesterday’s killing of a minor and his two uncles after reportedly being abducted by terrorists from a marriage function in the upper reaches of Bani-Billawar.

Lt Governor Manoj Sinha ordered a thorough and transparent investigation into the brutal killing of Varun Singh (14) and his uncles Yogesh Singh and Darshan Singh. “Justice will be ensured and accountability fixed”, he wrote on X.

The Resistance Front, which is an offshoot of the Pakistan based Lashkar-e-Tayaba (LeT) outfit, has reportedly claimed responsibility for the killings.

A complete shutdown was observed today in Bani, Billawar and other adjoining areas of Kathua where the security situation has deteriorated in recent months amid reports that a group of Pakistani terrorists was operating in the higher reaches of the Kathua, Udhampur and Doda districts.

Angry youths on Saturday heckled the independent MLA of Bani, Rameshwar Singh who went to meet the bereaved families at the hospital in Billawar.

This was Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan’s first visit here after taking charge of the Home department. He held two rounds of meetings with the security and intelligence officers engaged in anti-terror operations in J&K.

Key officials, including Director General of BSF Daljit Singh, J&K DGP Nalin Prabhat, IG Jammu Zone Bhimsen Tuti, and IG Kashmir VK Birdi, among other top brass of the security establishment were present in the meeting.

Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, state Home Secretary Chandraker Bharti, Director General of Police Nalin Prabhat, Additional DG CID Nitish Kumar and senior officers of BSF, CRPF and Intelligence agencies were also present in the meeting.

DG BSF Daljit Singh visited the International Border and LoC in Kathua and Poonch respectively where he took stock of the security situation.

The Kathua district has witnessed brutal terror strikes in the recent past. Throat of two civilians was reportedly slit by terrorists a few days ago in the Billawar area. On 8 July last year, five soldiers, including two JCOs, were killed when a group of terrorists ambushed an Army convoy in the Badnote village of Kathua.

Involvement of locals in providing logistical support and shelter to the terrorists was being probed as the terrorists were Pakistanis and it was not possible for them to survive in the unknown forest area without local support.