Gurdaspur police boost security for Amarnath Yatra amid threats

The Gurdaspur police have enhanced security measures in view of the ongoing Amarnath Yatra.

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Notwithstanding threats by anti-national elements, devotees have started taking part in the yatra in a big way. This is one significant reason, say officials, to increase security.

SSP Aditya said a special drive had been launched to ensure there was no untoward incident in the jurisdiction of the Gurdaspur police district.

A high-level inter-departmental meeting comprising officers of the Army, BSF, Gurdaspur and Pathankot police districts and officials of J&K and HP Police was held in Pathankot last week. Special DGP (Law and Order) Arpit Shukla had presided over the meeting. It was preceded by a similar meeting in Jammu.

The Gurdaspur police have set up dozens of check-posts in and around the city. Old timers claimed that the arrangements were unprecedented and they had not seen such a security mechanism put in place for the last several years.

Yesterday, DIG (Border) Satinder Singh and senior officials of the Gurdaspur police district paid a surprise visit to border villages falling in Kalanaur subdivision. Kalanaur shares the international border with Pakistan.

An official said the security was unprecedented this year because of the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam in which 26 tourists had been killed. This development had led to Operation Sindoor.

The route of the Amarnath Yatra is heavily guarded by BSF, CRPF, and Indo-Tibetan Border Police, with the additional presence of Army men in mountains and jungles.

SSP Aditya said he himself had been supervising the arrangements. CID officials in civvies, too, have been put on duty.

The Army has also launched a comprehensive security initiative called ‘Operation Shiva’ to provide foolproof security during the yatra.