Security tightened on Mughal Road

Rajouri, Oct 29: Amid an increase in violent activities across Jammu and Kashmir with a series of attacks and encounters with the latest one at Akhnoor, security forces have increased vigil and check on the Mughal Road and its connecting areas.

Mughal Road is an inter-provincial route that connects Kashmir with Jammu province and acts as an alternative to Srinagar-Jammu National Highway.

Security forces have strengthened all the Motor Vehicle Check Points (MVCPs) on the Mughal Road and its connecting areas to keep an eye on the movement of all vehicles and pedestrians from Kashmir to Jammu and vice versa.

The Army is also using sniffer dogs, under-vehicle reflectors, metal detectors, and other equipment to conduct frisking and checking of vehicles and pedestrians.

These extra security measures have been taken given an increase in terror threats in Jammu and Kashmir.

Rajouri and Poonch districts in the Pir Panjal region are twin border districts sharing the Line of Control (LoC) with PoK that have witnessed trouble for long with infiltration attempts and encounters often disturbing the situation here.

After witnessing a peak militancy period from 1990 to 2010, a relatively calm prevailed in the area between 2010 and 2020 but a sudden increase in militant activities has again been witnessed in the region with several attacks, target killings, ambush attacks, and encounters having taken place in the area during the last four years.

Security forces have suffered massive casualties in these attacks.

Keeping in view this situation, the security setup has already been put on the highest mode of alertness and field forces have been asked to maintain the best possible alertness.

It is believed that several groups of militants, especially foreign mercenaries, are operating in the areas of Rajouri and Poonch districts, creating a threat.

At Dehra Ki Gali (DKG), located at the boundary of Rajouri and Poonch districts, and falling on the Rajouri-Thanamandi-Surankote road joining the Mughal Road, joint Motor Vehicle Checkpoints (MVCPs) has been strengthened and CCTV surveillance has been boosted to keep around the clock surveillance.