Paramilitary forces return to Jammu and Kashmir after poll duty

Additional 400 companies required for security during Amarnath yatra

Nearly 100 companies of paramilitary forces withdrawn from Kashmir last year for conduct of Assembly elections in five states have started to return back to the Union Territory (UT) amid rising militant attacks and ahead of the annual Amarnath pilgrimage.

“The paramilitary companies have started reaching the UT after a break and the majority of them are being sent to Kashmir where recently militants targeted civilians, security personnel on leave, policemen and non-locals,” official sources told DH.

Some of the returning paramilitary companies are stationed in Jammu till the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi scheduled on April 24. These companies will also move to the Valley after Modi’s one-day tour, sources said and added that the UT administration has requested the Centre to send additional companies which would be required for the annual pilgrimage of Shri Amarnath Ji which starts on June 30.

Ahead of the Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Goa and Manipur, 100 companies of paramilitary forces were withdrawn from Kashmir Valley for the poll duty. Election process in these five states concluded on March 10.

After a two-year suspension due to the Covid-19 pandemic, a record six to eight lakh 'yatris' are expected to undertake annual pilgrimage to the holy cave shrine of Amarnathji in south Kashmir Himalayas this year.

The 'yatra' to the 3,880-metre-high holy cave shrine takes place from the twin routes of Pahalgam in south Kashmir and Baltal in Ganderbal district of central Kashmir. This year, it will start on June 30 and culminate on the day of 'Raksha Bandhan' on August 11.

A senior police officer said they were working out details of the paramilitary companies which would be sought from the Union Home Ministry for the smooth conduct of this year’s 'yatra'. “The details will be worked out in some days and sent to the Home Ministry,” he said.

The officer said at least 400 additional companies of paramilitary would be required for foolproof security for the annual pilgrimage as the rush of 'yatris' this year will be huge.

“The numbers are being worked out taking into account the targeted killings by the militants and steps required to protect the soft targets as well as the pilgrims all along the national highway, including Pathankot-Jammu and Jammu-Srinagar besides twin tracks of Baltal and Nunwan, base camp in Jammu and all other vulnerable areas,” he revealed.

The annual 'yatra' was cancelled in 2020 as well as 2021 due to Covid-19 pandemic and only the symbolic ‘Chhari Mubarak’ was taken to the cave shrine by Mahant Deependera Giri Ji and sadhus. In 2019, it was cut short following intelligence inputs on terror threats ahead of the Centre scrapping Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir.