First PM Modi and now Home Minister Amit Shah will hold a high level meeting, is a strategy being made to eliminate terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir

New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah will hold a high-level meeting today (16 June) to review the situation after the terrorist attacks in Jammu and Kashmir. Earlier, Prime Minister Modi has also held a high-level meeting on this issue. Along with Amit Shah, Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval and officials from the Army, paramilitary forces, Jammu and Kashmir Police and intelligence agencies will be present in the meeting today. The security situation in Jammu and Kashmir, and especially the security arrangements for the upcoming Amarnath Yatra, will be discussed in the meeting.

Big decisions can be taken
This will be the first high-level meeting chaired by Amit Shah on Jammu and Kashmir in his/her second term as Union Home Minister. Sources said the meeting is also likely to discuss closing infiltration routes through the international border between Jammu and Kathua. Tight security is expected for this year’s Amarnath Yatra in view of the June 9 terror attack on pilgrims at the Shiv Khodi temple in Reasi district. More than 400 additional companies of paramilitary forces are likely to be deployed.

Discussion on strategy to eliminate terrorists
Sources said, “Strategy is being made to eliminate terrorists hiding in Rajouri-Poonch districts. It is believed that these terrorists have carried out the Reasi terror attack.” he/she said that he/she will give broad guidelines regarding immediate action to be taken by the security agencies as per the Prime Minister’s instructions. Terrorists attacked four places in Reasi, Kathua and Doda districts of Jammu and Kashmir in four days, in which nine pilgrims and a CRPF jawan died and seven security personnel and many others were injured.

Two Pak terrorists killed in Kathua district
Two suspected Pakistani militants were also killed in an encounter with security forces in Kathua district and a huge cache of arms and ammunition was recovered from them. The incident comes ahead of the annual pilgrimage to the Amarnath cave shrine in the south Kashmir Himalayas, which is scheduled to begin on June 29 and continue till August 19. Pilgrims to Amarnath travel through two routes in Jammu and Kashmir – Baltal and Pahalgam.

Decision will also be taken on Amarnath Yatra
Sources said that last year more than 4.28 lakh people visited the cave temple and this time the figure could go up to five lakh. All the pilgrims are likely to be given RFID cards so that their actual location can be traced and all will be given an insurance cover of Rs 5 lakh. There will also be an insurance cover of Rs 50,000 for each animal carrying the pilgrims.

Sources said that on Friday the Home Minister was briefed by officials of the ministry, Intelligence Bureau and other security agencies on the situation in Jammu and Kashmir and the steps taken after the terror incidents. Prime Minister Modi spoke to Shah on June 13 and discussed the deployment of security forces and anti-terror operations. The Prime Minister also spoke to Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and took stock of the situation there.

(With agency inputs)