No security lapse yesterday, 3-tier security placed: ADGP Kumar

Srinagar: A day after the Congress alleged lapses in security arrangements in the Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra, J&K Police said that three-tier security arrangement had been put in place for the last leg in Kashmir.

“We are giving three-tier protection and all security arrangements have been made. Bharat Jodo yatra is going on smoothly,” Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Kashmir Zone, Vijay Kumar told Greater Kashmir.

“Traffic has also been diverted and there won’t be any problem,” Kumar said.   

On reports about a security lapse during the yatra, ADGP said that there was no security lapse in Friday’s arrangement.

“We had deployed 25 companies of CAPFs and 10 companies of J&K Police personnel from Navyug Tunnel to Anantnag for protection of the yatra. Gatherings stationed at the tunnel for reception on the Kashmir side were totally frisked and identified. However, the organisers didn’t convey to us that the gathering accompanying the Banihal side would also join the yatra at the tunnel on the Kashmir side and suddenly they reached the starting point of the tunnel on the Kashmir side,” he said. “Since there was limited space, huge gatherings were assembled. After conducting 1-km yatra, Rahul Gandhi left for Anantnag by a vehicle. Before taking the decision for discontinuation of yatra they didn’t consult the Police officers present there. However, others continued their yatra and completed it smoothly.”

The ADGP said that on Saturday, they deployed 35 companies of CAPFs and 18 companies of J&K Police for a three-tier security for yatra security.

“They completed the 15 km yatra by foot in the most sensitive part of Pulwama district smoothly and reached Pantha Chowk Srinagar safely,” he said.

Congress leader and Member of Parliament on Friday accused the J&K administration of a security lapse at Jawahar Tunnel stating that Police were missing in controlling the crowd that had come for his reception.