Strengthen security grid to stop cross-border infiltration: Shah at J&K meet

Union home minister Amit Shah on Saturday reviewed the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir in Jammu. J&K lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha along with senior officials of the union territory’s administration attended the meet.

During the high-level meet, the home minister cited the reduction in terrorist-related incidents from 417 in 2018 to 229 in 2021. He also spoke on the decrease in the number of security forces personnel deaths from 91 to 2018 to 42 in the last year, the home ministry said in a statement.

Emphasising on proactive operations against terrorists and denying them safe haven or financial support, Shah directed the security forces and the J&K Police to ensure coordination for effective counter-terror operations.

The home minister also stressed on the need to strengthen the narcotics control bureau in the union territory and take steps to choke narco-terrorism.

“The security grid should be further strengthened to ensure zero cross-border infiltration and to eliminate terrorism completely in order to achieve Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a peaceful and prosperous Jammu and Kashmir,” the home minister said in the meeting.

The home minister’s visit to the Valley comes at a time when there are intelligence reports indicating smuggling of improvised explosive devices from across the Line of Control (LOC). The IEDs and other weapons are being sent from across the border to carry out terror attacks in J&K and other parts of the country. Terror groups like the Jaish-e-Mohammad and Lashkar-e-Toiba-backed The Resistance Front are active in the Kashmir Valley.

In recent times, the security agencies are worried about the targeted killings of panchayat officials in the Kashmir valley. A sarpanch was shot dead inside his house in Kulgam last week. This was the third killing of village local body official in the past ten days.