Ensure zero LoC infiltration: Shah
In the backdrop of Pakistan attempting to fuel terror in the Jammu region, Union Home Minister Amit Shah conducted an extensive review of the ongoing anti-terror operations and the security situation along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K).
The two-day meeting, which included top Army and J&K Police officials, focused on strengthening counter-terrorism operations in the Valley and further securing the LoC, especially during the monsoon when hundreds of rivulets from the Himalayas swell, creating significant gaps in the fencing along the Pakistan border. Last summer, Jammu saw a surge in attacks by terrorists who had infiltrated from Pakistan.
The LoC, which spans 749 km, is primarily under the Army’s jurisdiction, while India and Pakistan share a 198 km long international border in the Jammu sector, where the BSF is the lead force.
Sources said that at the meeting, Shah directed security agencies to intensify efforts against terrorism with a ‘zero infiltration’ goal. He instructed security forces to adopt a ruthless approach to infiltration and acts of terror, emphasising that the main objective should be to eliminate the presence of terrorists.
On February 4, Shah met top Army officials, including Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi, and on the following day, he met senior police officials from J&K, including IG Kashmir VK Birdi and IG Jammu BS Tuti. Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan was also present at the meeting.
Shah acknowledged the role of narco-networks in supporting infiltrators and terrorists, urging prompt action against terror funding linked to the narcotics trade. He reiterated the Centre’s ‘policy of zero tolerance’ toward terrorism, stressing the need for continued vigilance and cooperation among security agencies to eliminate terrorism in J&K.
In line with these directives, security forces launched a major operation in J&K last week, targeting forest areas along the LoC to eliminate terrorists responsible for attacks in various districts. Areas such as Reasi, Doda, Kishtwar, Kathua, Jammu have seen increased terror activity in recent years.
The meeting came just days ahead of the fourth anniversary of the India-Pakistan ceasefire agreement, which was announced on February 25, 2021. The Director Generals of Military Operations (DGsMO) of both countries had spoken over the phone to uphold the ceasefire. In his address at the 77th Army Day celebrations in Pune, General Upendra Dwivedi had stated, “The ceasefire is maintained along the LoC but attempts to infiltrate continue.”
