Check infiltration in J&K, says Amit Shah at security meet

New Delhi, February 18

Union Home Minister Amit Shah today asked officials to ensure that the security grid in J&K is strengthened to the extent of eliminating terrorism and zero cross-border infiltration. Shah also took stock of the development initiatives undertaken in the UT.

Shah gave directions to the officials while chairing a high-level review meeting here on the security situation in the UT. The meeting was attended by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval and other senior officers of the Central Government and the UT, said officials in the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).

The officials said the Home Minister appreciated the efforts of the security agencies, “which have led to the reduction in terror incidents” in J&K over the last few years. Terror incidents have declined from 417 in 2018 to 229 in 2021, while the number of security forces personnel martyred has also reduced from 91 in 2018 to 42 in 2021, MHA officials added.

Later, L-G Manoj Sinha said the Home Minister also reviewed the pace of progress in development. He described the hour-long meeting as “very fruitful”. Asked about the possibility of resuming the annual Amarnath Yatra, which has not been held for the last two years due to the pandemic, Sinha said a decision in this regard would be taken soon.

The erstwhile state was bifurcated into two Union Territories — Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh — after the abrogation of Article 370 on August 5, 2019. (With PTI inputs)

Terror incidents fall

• Terror incidents have declined from 417 in 2018 to 229 in 2021, while the number of martyred security personnel has also reduced from 91 in 2018 to 42 in 2021, says MHA.
• Amit Shah also takes stock of the development initiatives in UT.