J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

Srinagar, July 15
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed has asked security personnel to be extra vigilant to ensure foolproof security during the ongoing Amarnath yatra that was flagged off in Jammu yesterday.

Policemen frisk a sadhu on his way to the Amarnath cave in Chandanwari, 111 km southeast of Srinagar, on Thursday. — Reuters photo

Strict vigil ensures safe Amarnath Yatra
Jammu, July 15
Sniffer dogs, belonging to the Army, BSF and the police, are being used by the security forces to clear the 350-km-long Jammu-Pahalgam route of explosives and land mines in order to ensure incident free pilgrimage to the Amarnath cave.

Militants attack DC office in Anantnag
Srinagar, July 15
Militants today carried out a grenade attack on the office of Deputy Commissioner of Anantnag in Jammu and Kashmir injuring five civilians, official sources said. Militants lobbed the grenade targeting the Deputy Commissioner’s office in Anantnag district, 55 km from here, at around 1410 hours, the sources said.

20 Bangladeshis nabbed while sneaking into PoK
Jammu, July 15
Security forces have foiled infiltration and exfiltration bids and arrested a Pakistani boy and 20 Bangladeshi nationals along to Indo-Pak border in Jammu since last night, official sources said here today. The security forces guarding the Line of Control at Simbal border outpost in Jammu district, observed some movement early today, they said.

Ammunition with poison head seized at militant hideout
Jammu, July 15
Security forces have seized AK ammunition with poison head for the first time in militancy-infested Jammu and Kashmir.

YOUR TOWN

Jammu Srinagar

A sadhu smoking during a break while on his way to the Amarnath cave at Pishutop, 114 km southeast of Srinagar, on Thursday. — Reuters

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Army Chief in Jammu
Jammu, July 15
The Chief of the Army Staff, Gen N.C. Vij, arrived here today to take stock of the counter-terrorist operations in Jammu and Kashmir. The GOC-in-C, Northern Command, Lieut-Gen Hari Prasad, Director- General of Military Intelligence and Director-General of Military Operations, accompanied him.

The Chief of the Army Staff, Gen N.C. Vij, left, arrives in Jammu on Thursday. 

Mufti checks security at base camps
2,591 more pilgrims reach Pahalgam
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, July 15
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed has asked security personnel to be extra vigilant to ensure foolproof security during the ongoing Amarnath yatra that was flagged off in Jammu yesterday.

With the arrival of the second batch of 2,591 pilgrims at Pahalgam today, the total number of yatris during the first two days has gone up to 3,972. Today’s batch of pilgrims who left Jammu included 1,488 men, 317 women, 61children and 725 sadhus. The first batch of 1,381 yatris, who arrived from Jammu in Pahalgam last evening, left for the holy cave this morning. They will be trekking 48 km. in the upper reaches of Pahalgam to have darshan of the ice lingam of Lord Shiva on Saturday morning.

The Chief Minister visited the base camps of Nunwan near Pahalgam, Baltal and the holy cave today to oversee the security and other arrangements made for the pilgrims for the 45-day long yatra this year. He was accompanied by the Deputy Chief Minister, Mr Mangat Ram Sharma. They interacted with the yatris and had a feedback on the arrangements put in place by various departments of the state government. They also held meetings with senior civil, police and security forces officers, including Minister of State for Home A.R. Veeri, Director-General of Police Gopal Sharma, and Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, Khursheed Ahmad Ganai.

Instructions were issued to position senior civil and police officers at the holy cave, who could receive and take decisions on complaints and oversee arrangements there. The Chief Minister asked the police to regulate the entry of yatris at the holy cave so that more people could have darshan in a given time frame and return. At the base camps of Baltal and Pahalgam, the Chief Minister enquired from the pilgrims about the arrangements made for them. At Baltal he met a group of 30 South Africans, who are also on pilgrimage. He also visited langars (community kitchens) put up by voluntary groups and enquired about the eatables provided to the yatris.

The Mufti said that Amarnath pilgrimage had a direct link with the economic activity of the local people and Kashmiris had traditionally welcomed the arrival of yatris. The involvement of the local population with the annual pilgrimage dates back to centuries. He said even during the period of turmoil they greeted them whole heartedly at various places and put up voluntary camps en route to the cave shrine to provide drinking water and sharbat to the pilgrims. 

Strict vigil ensures safe Amarnath Yatra
Our Correspondent

Jammu, July 15
Sniffer dogs, belonging to the Army, BSF and the police, are being used by the security forces to clear the 350-km-long Jammu-Pahalgam route of explosives and land mines in order to ensure incident free pilgrimage to the Amarnath cave.

The drill of road opening starts before sun-rise and hours before the batches of pilgrims are flagged off from Jammu. According to a senior police officer, the entire mountain route from Jammu to Pahalgam has been divided into various sectors and security agencies have been assigned the task of detecting explosives that might have been planted by the militants.

At various focal points, especially from Batote to Pahalgam, Army, paramilitary forces and police personnel maintain a round the clock vigil on the mountain route to prevent militants from carrying out gun or grenade attack on the pilgrims.

The Director General of Police, Mr Gopal Sharma, said “joint control rooms have been established at Pahalgam and Baltal for coordinating and monitoring security arrangements.”

Another senior police officer said as many as 10,000 security personnel, including those from the Army, have been deployed for guarding the mountain route and the pilgrims are being escorted by the paramilitary forces from Jammu to Pahalgam.

He said besides sniffer dogs metal detectors are also used by the security personnel before clearance is given to the pilgrims’ convoy to move ahead.

He said the drill would continue for 45 days till the last pilgrim returned to Jammu from the cave.

The officer said despite announcement by the Lashkar-e-Toiba and other rebel groups that pilgrims will not be attacked “we have taken adequate security measures as the activities of militants are not in the hand of one or two rebel outfits. Any splinter group could attack the convoy of pilgrims to add to the problem of the state government and central agencies engaged engaged in the process of restoration of peace in the state.”

Militants attack DC office in Anantnag

Srinagar, July 15
Militants today carried out a grenade attack on the office of Deputy Commissioner of Anantnag in Jammu and Kashmir injuring five civilians, official sources said. Militants lobbed the grenade targeting the Deputy Commissioner’s office in Anantnag district, 55 km from here, at around 1410 hours, the sources said.

In the gunbattle that followed, one LET militant was killed. He was identified as Abu Bakr. One AK rifle, two magazines and seven grenades were seized. — PTI

20 Bangladeshis nabbed while sneaking into PoK

Jammu, July 15
Security forces have foiled infiltration and exfiltration bids and arrested a Pakistani boy and 20 Bangladeshi nationals along to Indo-Pak border in Jammu since last night, official sources said here today.

One Pakistani boy, identified as Mohammad Islam of Sihota village in Sialkot district, today crossed into Indian territory near Gole Pattan BOP in Jammu district early today, they said. — PTI

Ammunition with poison head seized at militant hideout
Tribune News Service and PTI

Jammu, July 15
Security forces have seized AK ammunition with poison head for the first time in militancy-infested Jammu and Kashmir. Thirtysix rounds of AK ammunition were seized during search operations at a militant hideout in the Chakri forests in Mandi-Loran area of Poonch district yesterday, a defence spokesman said, adding that a huge quantity of arms, ammunition and explosives was seized during the search. Earlier, security forces had seized explosive greeting cards.

Meanwhile, two persons, including a police personnel, were killed when terrorists threw a grenade at a police station in the border town of Mendhar in Poonch district today. One person was seriously injured in the attack. 

Army Chief in Jammu
Tribune News Service

Jammu, July 15
The Chief of the Army Staff, Gen N.C. Vij, arrived here today to take stock of the counter-terrorist operations in Jammu and Kashmir. The GOC-in-C, Northern Command, Lieut-Gen Hari Prasad, Director- General of Military Intelligence and Director-General of Military Operations, accompanied him.

The Corps Commander, Lieut-Gen Ashok Kapur, briefed the Army Chief on the ongoing counter-terrorist operations,, security environment in Jammu and fencing along the LoC.

General Vij also interacted with senior field commanders and expressed satisfaction at the state of security, operational preparedness and conduct of counter-terrorist operations.