100 additional CAPF companies to be deployed in Kashmir

In an unprecedented move, Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has decided to deploy 100 additional companies of central armed police forces (CAPFs) in Jammu and Kashmir.

An order from the MHA (III-11018/1/2019-G/P-II) dated 25-07-2019 states that in order to strengthen the counter-insurgency (CI) grid as well as for maintaining law and order situations in J&K, additional 100 companies of CAPFs shall be deployed in the restive Himalayan state.

The order has been sent to the J&K Chief Secretary, Home Secretary and Director General of Police (DGP) by the MHA for compliance. Out of 100 companies, 50 will be deployed from the CRPF, followed by 30 from SSB and 10 each from BSF and ITBP. However, it didn’t give any specific reasons behind the deployment.

Sources said the sanction for the deployment of additional forces was given after the consent from the Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who visited the state last month. “There is a possibility that the Center may revoke some provisions of Article 35A, anytime after the annual Amarnathji yatra ends on August 15. To ensure there is no civilian unrest against such decision, Center wants to ensure foolproof security system in place beforehand,” they revealed.

There are already 300 additional companies of the CAPFs deployed in the state, who were earlier utilised during the Parliament elections, and were later asked to stay back for yatra duties.

Sources said that National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval along with some top intelligence officials was in Kashmir for few days recently. Though officially nobody confirmed Doval’s presence in Kashmir, sources said, the spymaster was in the Valley to assess the prevailing situation and he had meetings with top officers of security forces and intelligence officers in Srinagar.

Reacting over the issue, former chief minister and National Conference leader Omar Abdullah tweeted: “It’s surprising, to say the least, that instead of calming tempers and reassuring people in the Valley, a large section of the administration is busy trying to scare people to expect massive unrest and trouble after August 15.”