New Delhi, Jun 16 (PTI) The fight against terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir is in its decisive phase and recent incidents show that terrorism has been forced to shrink from highly organised acts of violence to a mere proxy war, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Sunday.
During a high-level meeting at the North Block here to review the security situation in the Union Territory in the wake of recent terrorist attacks there, he also directed security agencies to implement area domination and zero-terror plans in the Jammu division like they did in Kashmir to achieve success.
In another subsequent meeting, the home minister reviewed the preparations for the annual pilgrimage to the cave shrine of Amarnath in the south Kashmir Himalayas.
The Narendra Modi government’s priority is to ensure the smooth conduct of the Amarnath Yatra and that pilgrims do not have to face any difficulties, Shah said.
He also instructed the security agencies to be vigilant and ensure sufficient deployment of personnel for yatra — from June 29 till August 19.
In the meeting to review the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir, Shah asserted that the government is determined to root out terrorism.
It was convened in the wake of the terrorist attacks in the Union Territory’s Jammu region, officials said.
The home minister directed the security agencies to work on a mission mode and ensure quick response in a coordinated manner.
He also stressed on seamless coordination among security agencies, identifying vulnerable areas and addressing security concerns in these areas.
Reiterating the government’s zero-tolerance policy against terrorism under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, he said the government will leave no stone unturned to root out terrorism from Jammu and Kashmir.
The efforts of the government of India have yielded great positive results in the Kashmir Valley with significant reduction in terror-related incidents, he said.
Shah noted that the improvement in the law and order situation is reflected in the record flow of tourists in the Kashmir Valley.
The home minister appreciated the security agencies and the Jammu and Kashmir administration for the successful conduct of the Lok Sabha elections, which witnessed record voter turnout in the Union Territory.
He directed the agencies to replicate in the Jammu division the successes achieved in the Kashmir Valley through the area domination plan and the zero-terror plan, the officials said.
The fight against terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir is in its decisive phase and the recent incidents show that terrorism has been forced to shrink from highly organised acts of violence to a mere proxy war, the minister said.
The officials said the home minister was given a thorough briefing on the prevailing situation in Jammu and Kashmir where security forces are expected to intensify counter-terrorism operations in the coming days.
The operations against terrorists will be carried out in line with the prime minister’s directive, they said.
Shah presided over the high-level meeting, three days after the prime minister held a similar meeting where he directed officials to deploy the “full spectrum of counter-terror capabilities” after a spate of terror incidents, including an attack on a bus carrying pilgrims in Reasi district of the Jammu region.
National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir Manoj Sinha, Army Chief General Manoj Pande, Army Chief-designate Lt. General Upendra Dwivedi, Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla, Director of Intelligence Bureau Tapan Deka, CRPF Director General Anish Dayal Singh, BSF Director General Nitin Agarwal, Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police R R Swain and other top security officials attended both the meeting.
Terrorists struck at four places in Reasi, Kathua and Doda districts of Jammu and Kashmir within four days last week, killing nine pilgrims and a CRPF jawan and leaving seven security personnel and several others injured.
Two suspected Pakistani terrorists were also killed in an encounter with security forces in Kathua district.
On June 9, terrorists opened fire on a 53-seater bus carrying pilgrims when it was en route to the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Katra from the Shiv Khori temple. The bus, ferrying pilgrims from Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Delhi, plunged into a deep gorge following the gunfire, killing nine people and injuring 41 others.
On June 11, terrorists fired at a joint checkpost of the Rashtriya Rifles and police at Chattergalla in Bhaderwah while a search party in the Gandoh area of Doda district was attacked on June 12, resulting in injuries to seven security personnel, including a policeman.
At the meeting on the Amarnath Yatra, Shah instructed officials to ensure perfect inter-agency coordination for effective security arrangements, including a well-established standard operating response mechanism.
Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the government is committed to ensure a convenient and hassle-free experience for devotees and adopt eco-friendly measures in management of the Amarnath pilgrimage, he said.
Last year more than 4.5 lakh devotees visited the cave shrine. Amarnath pilgrims travel through two routes — Baltal and Pahalgam — in Jammu and Kashmir. PTI ACB ANB ANB
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