Jammu, Feb 3 (IANS) Union Home Minister Amit Shah will visit Jammu and Kashmir for three days beginning Thursday for a comprehensive review of the security situation, launch various developmental projects and interact with political leaders.
“Union Home Minister will reach Jammu in the evening on February 5. He will meet political leaders at the Lok Bhawan the same evening. In the morning on February 6, the Union Home Minister will visit the international border in the Hiranagar sector of Kathua district,” said officials here.
During his visit to the international border, the Union Home Minister will inspect the latest equipment installed by the Border Security Force (BSF) to prevent infiltration.
“In the afternoon of February 6, he will chair a high-level security review meeting in Jammu. J&K Lt Governor Manoj Sinha, senior officials of MHA, IB, chiefs of CAPFs, senior officers of J&K’s civil administration, police and intelligence agencies will attend the security review meeting,” the officials said.
On the morning of February 7, he will leave for Srinagar, where he is scheduled to launch various developmental projects. In the afternoon, he will leave from Srinagar for Chhattisgarh, official sources said.
In less than one month, Amit Shah will be reviewing J&K security for the second time at the highest level.
On January 8, he chaired a high-level security review meeting on J&K in New Delhi. His review of the security situation was followed by the visit of the Union Home Secretary, Gobind Mohan, the Intelligence Bureau (IB) chief Tapan Deka, chiefs of CAPFs and other agencies to Jammu on January 14 and 15.
Official sources reveal that the Home Minister is concerned about the presence of foreign terrorists in the upper reaches of the Jammu division, including Kathua, Doda, Kishtwar and Udhampur districts.
“A comprehensive strategy is in place to neutralise the terrorists through joint operations in the entire Jammu and Kashmir,” sources said, adding the high-level meeting is likely to review and fine-tune the strategy further.
Search operations have been going on in the Chatroo area of Kishtwar district, besides the upper reaches of Billawar in Kathua and some other districts to eliminate the foreign terrorists.
A paratrooper of the Army was martyred, and seven soldiers were injured in Chatroo (Kishtwar) in an encounter between joint forces and the terrorists on January 18.
A top commander of the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) outfit was killed by the security forces in the upper reaches of Billawar in Kathua district.
In the January 8 security review meeting in New Delhi, HM Shah assured security forces that all resources will be made available to them in achieving the goal of `terror-free Jammu and Kashmir’.
He directed all security agencies to remain alert and continue to work in synergy to ensure that the gains achieved after the abrogation of Article 370 are sustained.
The Union Home Minister directed to ensure zero infiltration on the Line of Control (LoC) and the International Border in J&K while carrying out aggressive operations against terrorists, their over-ground workers (OGWs) and sympathisers to usher in complete peace in Jammu and Kashmir.
–IANS
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