J&K civilians killings: Strategy to be drafted to finish militancy in J&K during Amit Shah's visit

Amid a wave of targeted attacks that have left 11 civilians dead, a strategy is likely to be drafted to finish militancy in Jammu and Kashmir during Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s three-day visit to the Union Territory (UT) which begins on Saturday.

In his first visit to J&K, after the abrogation of special status of erstwhile state and its bifurcation into two UTs in August 2019, Shah will be accompanied by top officials of the Union Home Ministry, including Home Secretary A K Bhalla and heads of most of the central armed police forces (CAPFs) and intelligence agencies.

“Shah will chair a high-level security review meeting in Srinagar on October 23, the first day of his three-day tour to the UT, where a strategy is likely to be drafted to tackle sudden spurt in civilian killings and finish militancy in the region,” a source told DH.

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Eleven civilians, including members of minority community and non-locals, have been killed by the militants in Kashmir in the last two-weeks, leading to fear and migration of labourers from the Valley. “The security meeting is expected to come out with a plan for protection of civilians including minorities and non-locals,” they said.

“Top brass of MHA, CAPFs and intelligence agencies from New Delhi and senior officers of all security and intelligence agencies, operating in the UT besides Jammu and Kashmir Police will attend the security review meeting,” the source said.

The Home Minister is also scheduled to address panchayat members as well as political workers besides laying the foundation stone of two new government medical colleges (GMCs) for Udhampur and Handwara during his three-day visit. Shah is also scheduled to review developmental works in the UT, including those being executed under the Prime Minister’s Development Package with top officials of the administration in Kashmir, sources said.

The Home Minister will also address a public rally, organised by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), at Bhagwati Nagar Jammu on October 24.

Sources said Shah will fly to Srinagar from New Delhi on October 23 and come to Jammu the next day before returning to the Valley the same evening. He will fly back to New Delhi in the evening of October 25 from Srinagar.

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