Home Secy expresses concern over spurt in terror attacks

Ravi Krishnan Khajuria

Tribune News Service

Jammu, April 9

Union Home Secretary LC Goyal reviewed the security scenario of J&K with top officers of military, paramilitary forces, police, Intelligence agencies and the civil administration here this afternoon.

Goyal expressed concern over the spurt in terror attacks and militants’ abilities to engage their targets successfully, said a top Intelligence source.

Before chairing a high-level security meeting here, Goyal visited the octroi border outpost on the Indo-Pak border in the Suchetgarh area of the RS Pura sector, 32 km from Jammu.

“Accompanied by Joint Secretary (J&K Affairs) Rajit Punhani and Joint Secretary (Border Management) HK Makwaha, Union Home Secretary reached the octroi post around 10.40 am and inspected the border. He also had a close look at the weaponry and surveillance gadgetries being used by the BSF,” said a senior BSF source.

Subsequently, he held a meeting with top officers of the BSF and also interacted with the jawans. Goyal was briefed about weapons, border guarding tactics and fencing, said the source.

After spending two and a half hours in the RS Pura sector, Goyal took off for Jammu in a chopper. The Union Home Secretary was accompanied by Jammu Divisional Commissioner Pawan Kotwal and IGP, Jammu zone, Danish Rana.

In the afternoon, he reviewed the security across the Jammu region at a high-level meeting with the top officers of the security forces and the civil administration, including GOC of 16 Corps Lt Gen KH Singh, GOC of 26 Infantry Division Maj Gen Dushyant Singh, GOC of 9 Corps Lt Gen Rajiv Tewari, Special DG, CRPF, RC Tyal, BSF IG, Jammu Frontier, RK Sharma, CRPF IG, Jammu region, Kuldeep Dhar, DGP K Rajendra Kumar, state Home Secretary Suresh Kumar and Jammu DC AK Sahu.

“Against the backdrop of a spurt in militancy, he (Goyal) wanted to know how the security apparatus could be improved and what extra could be done to enhance coordination among security forces and intelligence agencies,” said an Army source.

Goyal was briefed that hinterland across the region was free of violence and tactics of spreading out troops was already in place for neutralising dormant ultras.

“Since the counter-infiltration grid on the LoC in the Jammu region is very effective, the Home Secretary was informed that Pakistan had shifted its focus on the 198-km-long international border,” he said.

The meeting lasted for over 40 minutes.

Goyal along with his team will fly tomorrow to Chakan da Bagh Trade Centre on the LoC in Poonch to take stock of the border trade with Pakistan before heading for Salamabad Trade Centre in Uri and then to Srinagar for another high-level security review of Kashmir.

Goyal discusses security with Guv, CM

Jammu: Union Home Secretary LC Goyal called on Governor NN Vohra and Chief Minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed on Thursday evening. Goyal discussed with the Governor the security scenario in the aftermath of the recent terror attacks, existing and emerging issues relating to the internal security management and various other matters relating to securing sustained peace and normalcy in the state. Vohra urged Goyal to secure special emphasis on efforts for strengthening border management. They also discussed the forthcoming Amarnath yatra. Earlier, Goyal called on the Chief Minister. During the meeting, matters relating to the security and law and order in the state were discussed.