Srinagar: Growing radicalization, infiltration, prolonged encounters and recent civilian killings dominated the agenda of the high profile security review meeting the Union Home Minister Amit Shah chaired here today. Shah directed the security agencies go all out against terrorism.
The meeting was attended by senior officials from J&K security grid including General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Northern Command, Lt Gen Y K Joshi, J&K DGP, Dilbag Singh, GOC 15 Corps, Lt Gen D P Pandey, officers of intelligence agencies, besides Union Home Secretary, DG CRPF/NIA, Director IB and DG BSF.
“Issues of radicalization, infiltration and recent civilian killings were discussed threadbare during the review meeting chaired by the Union Home Minister Amit Shah,” a senior officer of the security establishment told Greater Kashmir. “He asked us (all security agencies) to work in tandem to flush out terrorists from Kashmir as soon as possible.”
At the same time, he lauded the role of all security forces working in Kashmir and appreciated synergy between them, the officer said.
Earlier, Shah was apprised by senior police/security forces officials including J&K DGP about the prevailing situation in Kashmir and “further steps being taken to make Kashmir terrorism free.”
Shah told the meeting that with the heavy build up of security forces in Kashmir, killings and infiltration must stop, the officer said. “He directed the security agencies to go all out against terrorism, besides engagement of youth in developmental activities.”
Pertinently, 32 civilians have been killed in Kashmir in the recent past. There have been attacks on minorities and outsiders this year also.
The officer said that the Poonch encounter, which entered its 13th day on Saturday, also came up for discussion during the meeting. “The Union Home Minister was told that terrain is difficult and efforts are on to flush out terrorists in minimum possible time,” the officer said.
In Poonch, army and security forces are engaged in a prolonged anti-terror operation in which nine soldiers have so far been killed. Army and police sources have said that the fighting has led to speculation that the terrorists may have been trained by Pak commandos.
Shah, according to the officer, was apprised about anti-terror operations being carried out in Kashmir. “He was apprised about back-to-back operations carried out after the recent civilian killings in Kashmir, besides slew of measures taken to instil sense of security among the minorities and common masses,” the officer said.
Pertinently, so far this year, official records suggest that 114 terrorists belonging to various terror outfits had been killed in different encounters in J&K and most of them were locals.
During the meeting, the Union Home Minister was apprised that several youth were brought back into mainstream and even some surrendered during the live encounters. “We apprised him about efforts being made to reach out to the disgruntled youth,” the officer added.