Shinde in J&K to review situation

Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde arrived in Jammu on Friday on a three-day visit to the state.

During his stay, Shinde will hold a high-level security review of the situation with Governor N N Vohra, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and top brass of the police, para-military, civil and intelligence agencies.

Sources told Deccan Herald that security agencies would brief the minister on the situation prevailing in the state, infiltration attempts by militants, rehabilitation policy and ultras camping across the Line of Control (LoC).

He will chair a meeting of the Unified Headquarters (UHQ) on Saturday in Srinagar to review cross-border infiltration. The UHQ is the apex security grid in the state comprising top officials of the army, paramilitary forces, central and state intelligence agencies besides the state police.

After taking over as home minister, this is Shinde’s first visit to Jammu. Last week, he had visited the Ladakh region of the state to review the situation along the areas bordering China and Pakistan.

Officials said Shinde, who arrived from New Delhi, was received by ministers and top bureaucrats at Jammu airport at 8:30 am.

He then left for the Chakan-Da-Bagh cross LoC point in Poonch district, where he met civil and police administration and top officials of security agencies besides a delegation of
LoC traders.

Shinde told the traders that the Centre would remove all hurdles in the cross-LoC trade with Pakistan.

“Cross-LoC trade will be further strengthened. The hurdles will be removed,” Shinde told the cross-LoC traders at Chakan-da-Bagh.

Later, sources said the minister reviewed the security scenario on the LoC in the twin border districts of Poonch and Rajouri with top brass of police, civil administration and security agencies at Chakan-Da-Bagh.

There has been too many activities near LoC in Poonch especially in Krishna Ghati and Mendhar sectors with repeated ceasefire violations by the Pakistan Rangers, a majority of which were aimed at pushing infiltrators into this side.

“Shinde will also take stock of the situation prevailing on the International Border in the Jammu sector, especially in the backdrop of a 550-metre long tunnel connecting Pakistan and India being found at Chechwal in Samba sector,” sources said.

After detection of the tunnel on July 27, a number of incidents of firing by the Pakistani Rangers on the Border Security Force and civilians have been reported from Chechwal and Khwara in Samba sector, Arnia and Abdullian in the RS Pura sector.