Home Minister’s directive: Be tough on terror sympathisers

Srinagar, June 16: In a high-level meeting, Union Home Minister Amit Shah Sunday issued a series of directives aimed at bolstering security and combating terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir.

Following a comprehensive briefing on the current situation by senior officials of the security establishment including J&K Police and Army, Shah outlined several key measures to be implemented immediately.

The Union Home Minister chaired two back-to-back meetings on the J&K situation.

In the first half, a comprehensive security review was carried out.

Senior officers of security establishments and intelligence agencies apprised Shah about the prevailing security scenario in J&K.

During the security review, the Union Home Minister appreciated stakeholders for incident-free and high voter turnout in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections.

In the second half, after lunch, the meeting focused on the forthcoming annual Amarnath Yatra that is scheduled to start on June 29 and end on August 13.

Greater Kashmir learnt from official sources that the directives focus on enhancing security for the upcoming Amarnath Yatra, ensuring zero infiltration along borders, taking a tough stance on terror sympathisers, and narco-terrorism, and maintaining a close vigil on drone activities.

Sources said that the Union Home Minister emphasised the importance of ensuring the safety of each yatri participating in the annual Amarnath Yatra.

“Special security deployments will be arranged from Lakhanpur to the yatra sites in Pahalgam and Baltal,” they said. “The deployment will include additional paramilitary forces to provide robust security coverage along the entire route, ensuring a secure environment for the yatris.”

The yatra to the Amarnath cave shrine, located at an altitude of 12,700 feet in south Kashmir, is set to begin on June 29 and continue until August 19.

Last year, over 4.28 lakh people visited the cave shrine, and the figure could reach 5 lakh this year.

“The Home Minister stressed the need for stringent measures to prevent infiltration along both the International Border and the Line of Control. He directed enhancing surveillance and patrolling activities, employing advanced technology for monitoring, and strengthening coordination between various security agencies to prevent the terrorists from sneaking into J&K,” the sources said. “The objective is to ensure that no infiltrators can breach the borders, thereby maintaining national security.”

They said that Shah called for a stern approach in dealing with individuals and groups that sympathise with or support terrorist activities.

“He called for taking decisive action against those involved in narco-terrorism, which has become a significant challenge in J&K,” the sources said. “The law enforcement agencies were directed to identify and dismantle networks involved in these activities, ensuring strict legal consequences for offenders.”

In the backdrop of increasing concerns over the use of drones for illicit activities mostly in Jammu, the Union Home Minister directed security forces to maintain a close watch on drone movements.

“This involves further deployment of anti-drone technology and systems to detect and neutralise any unauthorised drones,” they said. “Enhanced vigilance will be crucial to prevent potential threats from aerial surveillance and the delivery of contraband or weapons.”

Earlier at a meeting, Shah was briefed about the security situation in J&K, including the deployment of forces along the International Border and Line of Control, infiltration attempts, the status of ongoing anti-terror operations, and the strength of terrorists operating in J&K.