Srinagar- Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday chaired a high-level meeting in New Delhi to review the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir, especially in the backdrop of last month’s terrorist attack in Poonch in which five soldiers were killed.
The high-level meeting was held at North Block, New Delhi and started around 4.30 PM on Tuesday, officials said. National Security Advisor (NSA), Ajit Doval, Lieutenant Governor of Jammu & Kashmir, Manoj Sinha, Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla, Chief of Army Staff (CoAS) General Manoj Pande, Director Intelligence Bureau (IB) Tapan Deka, Heads of CAPFs, Chief Secretary & DGP, of Jammu and Kashmir attended the meeting.
During the meeting Shah reviewed the area domination plan of security agencies in J&K to eliminate the threat of terrorism, an official spokesperson said.
While reviewing the functioning of the security grid and overall security scenario of J&K, Shah instructed to strengthen the counter-terrorism operations and the need for complete elimination of the terror eco-system.
“He also advised the security agencies for appropriate deployment in vulnerable areas. He reiterated that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Government will continue to adopt a zero- tolerance approach against terrorism,” the spokesperson said.
Shah stressed all due procedures should be adopted while dealing with counter- terror operations and also underlined the importance of further strengthening the local intelligence network, he said.
“Union Home Minister appreciated the efforts of the security agencies and administration of the Union Territory for significant decline in terror related incidents, infiltration and improvement in law & order situation,” he added.
A day after the December 21 terror attack, three civilians, aged between 27 and 42, were found dead after they were allegedly picked up by the Army for questioning, sparking outrage. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Army chief Pande had visited Poonch in the wake of these incidents.
“The home minister has been briefed about the prevailing security situation in Jammu and Kashmir,” an official said.
Earlier, UT administration had announced compensation and jobs to the families of the dead civilians and said legal action on the matter has been initiated.
Sporadic violence continued in Jammu and Kashmir since the beginning of 2023.
Rajouri, Poonch and Reasi districts in Jammu and Kashmir witnessed a series of encounters last year that left 54 persons, including 28 terrorists and 19 security personnel, dead, officials said.
The officials have ascribed the uptick in violence to “desperate attempts from across the border” to revive terrorism in the region.
While 31 persons, including 10 terrorists and 14 security personnel, were killed in Rajouri, 15 terrorists and five security personnel were killed in Poonch district. Three terrorists were killed in the Reasi district.
Most of the terrorists were killed while attempting to sneak into this side of the border, the officials said.
In May last year, five Army personnel were killed and a major-rank officer was injured in Chamrer forest during an anti-terrorist operation. A foreign terrorist was also killed in the operation. (With PTI inputs)
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