Go full throttle to eliminate terror in Jammu and Kashmir, PM tells security agencies

Aditi Tandon

New Delhi, June 13

A day after two militants were killed, a CRPF jawan lost his life and six security personnel were injured in separate encounters in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kathua and Doda, PM Narendra Modi chaired a high-level review meeting ordering the deployment of full spectrum of the country’s counter-terror capabilities in the UT.

The PM held the review meeting with National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and other top officials of the security apparatus. He was given a full overview of the security-related situation in J&K.

Back-to-back strikes

• Nine persons were killed and 33 injured after terrorists opened fire on a bus carrying pilgrims from Shiv Khori Temple to Katra in Reasi district on June 9; the bus rolled down a deep gorge after firing
• On Tuesday, one civilian was injured after being hit by a gunshot in Kathua’s Hiranagar; later, two terrorists and one CRPF jawan were killed in an encounter there
• The same night, six security personnel were injured in an encounter with terrorists at Chattergala in Jammu’s Doda district
• On Wednesday, yet another encounter occurred in Gandoh area of Doda district

“The Prime Minister was apprised of the counter-terror efforts that are being undertaken. He has asked the security officials to deploy the full spectrum of national counter-terror capabilities in Jammu and Kashmir,” official sources said.

PM Modi also spoke to Union Home Minister Amit Shah and discussed the deployment of security forces and counter-terror operation personnel in the UT. In a conversation with J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, the PM took stock of the ground situation in the UT. “The PM was briefed on the efforts being undertaken by local administration,” government sources said.

Doval was reappointed as NSA today, days after Modi returned to the PMO for the third straight time. Doval remains critical to anti-terror response in Jammu and Kashmir and is well known in security circles for establishing the grid that successfully offset potential backlashes in J&K following the abrogation of Article 370 in the erstwhile state in August 2019.

NSA Doval is also acknowledged as the mind behind the Indian response following the Pulwama terror attack that killed 40 CRPF personnel in February 2019.

PM’s review meeting came after a series of terror attacks and encounters in Jammu and Kashmir since Sunday.

On Wednesday, hours after the Kathua incident, which left one CRPF personnel dead, terrorists attacked a camp of the Special Operations Group in Doda in the fourth strike in Jammu region in four days.

Five jawans and a sub divisional special police officer were injured in the attack.

The spate of violence in Jammu commenced on June 9 with a terror attack in Reasi district where nine persons were killed and 33 injured after terrorists opened fire on a bus carrying pilgrims from Shiv Khori Temple to Katra. The bus fell into a deep gorge as a result of the firing and children were among those killed.

On Tuesday, one civilian was injured after being hit by a gunshot in Kathua’s Hiranagar; later two terrorists and one CRPF jawan were killed in an encounter there. The same night, six security personnel were injured in an encounter with terrorists at Chattergala in Doda district of Jammu. On Wednesday another encounter occurred at Gandoh in Doda.

The Congress has demanded explanation on terror attacks in Jammu and asked if the Pir Panjal range, which includes Rajouri and Poonch districts, had become a hotbed of cross-border terrorism over the past two years.

“Is it not true that 35 soldiers have been martyred in attacks in these areas alone and the terror is now spreading to the neighbouring Reasi district too?” said Congress leader Pawan Khera.

The Congress-led Opposition is gearing up to raise the issue of security in J&K in the first session of the 18th Lok Sabha commencing from June 24.