On Friday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah presided over a security review meeting in Srinagar, where he voiced his approval of the rapidly improving security situation in the Valley and finalised preparations for the impending Amarnath Yatra.
Shah praised the UT’s security services, saying, “he will go back to Delhi fully satisfied as he felt peace prevailing in the air.”
A two-day visit by the Minister of Home Affairs has begun in J&K. He spoke to a crowd in Jammu and another in Srinagar at the Rajbhawan. He also spoke at an SKICC event. Reliable sources said that Shah chaired a high level security meeting at Rajbhawan this evening in which Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla, J-K LG Manoj Sinha, Chief Secretary A K Mehta, Divisional Commissioners of Kashmir and Jammu, Home Secretary J-K R K Goel, DG NIA, J-K DGP, GoC 15 Corps, Special DG CID, top officials of CRPF, BSF and SSB, were present. The SSP and DC of Srinagar were also present at the meeting.
According to reports, Shah was updated on the state of security and the plans for protecting pilgrims on the next Amarnath Yatra, which will begin on July 1. The security strategy for the Yatra has been finalised by the J&K police in conjunction with the army, CRPF, BSF, and SSB.
According to a person familiar with the meeting, “the Home Minister directed to make some last minute changes to the plan to ensure fool-proof cover the pilgrims,” and this year’s yatra will place extra emphasis on quick response teams (QRTs) of security agencies in the event of natural calamities like cloudburst, etc.
In light of last year’s cloud burst, which resulted in the deaths of more than a dozen yatris, quick response teams (QRTs) will be stationed along the cave shrine path in order to facilitate a swift evacuation. The insider said that Shah had emphasised equipping the QRTs with all they might possibly need to deal with any emergency that could arise and do as little harm as possible to the pilgrims.
On the topic of security, Shah lauded the agencies responsible for keeping Kashmir calm after the repeal of Article 370 and for killing so many terrorists.
The source said, “The Home Minister also expressed satisfaction on zero local militant recruitment.” The source praised the cooperation between security agencies and expressed optimism that the last few active militants will be eliminated soon.
According to the sources, Shah called for a war on narco-terror and ordered the security chiefs to expand the security net to stop the entry of drugs into J&K. It has been reported that Shah has ordered the highest level of security personnel to crack down severely on anyone who support militancy.
According to reports, throughout his address Shah voiced his approval of the current calm in Kashmir. The trip back to Delhi has left me completely content. According to a source present at the meeting, Shah said, “I can feel the peace prevailing in the air.”
