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| Unified Command reviews security strategy as violence steps up in J&K | | Antony, Omar meet top security brass, stress vigil | | Early Times Report
Jammu, Jan 12: Following stepped up incidents of militant violence and infiltrations bids, the Defence Minister AK Antony and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah chaired a high level meeting here today to review the overall security scenario. The meeting was attended by top brass of Defence Ministry, Army, Police, Paramilitary forces and civil administration.
Speaking at the meeting Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said, “let us all consolidate the gains made in the direction of normalization of situation in J&K to make 2010 the year of consolidation”.
The Defence Minister, AK Antony stressed on enhancing vigilance on the borders and LoC keeping in view the increased attempts of infiltration in 2009 as compared to 2008.
Significantly, Antony Tuesday hinted at a further reduction of troops in Jammu and Kashmir in the light of the “improved situation” in the state, which is battling terrorist violence for the past 20 years. This would be in addition to the 30,000 troops that have been moved out of Jammu and Kashmir in the past two years.
These indications became known when Antony told the meeting at the unified headquarters here that the state police would have to take over the responsibility of the security of cities and major towns of the state.
The defence minister also made it clear that the paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) would take over the responsibility of the road opening parties and security of National Highway 1-A, the 294-km-long Jammu-Srinagar highway that is lifeline of the Valley and also for the troops stationed in the Kashmir and Ladakh divisions.
Antony said with the improvement in the security situation, the time had come for the state police to be given far greater responsibilities, particularly in major towns, in tackling terrorism in the state.
However, “the handing over of the responsibility must be meticulously planned and undertaken in a gradual and phased manner”, a defence ministry statement quoted Antony as saying.
He said on the request of the defence ministry, the home ministry had issued instructions to the CRPF to take over the entire responsibility of opening of roads on Jammu-Srinagar National Highway 1-A from January 15.
“This has been done to reduce the visibility of the army, without in any way diluting our counter-terrorist grid,” Antony said.
He said the synergy and hard work put in by the various security agencies, as also the local people, has considerably brought down the “level of violence” in Kashmir, though the infiltration attempts had increased.
The Chief Minister emphasized for recruitment drive for local youth in defence forces and urged for frequent recruitment rallies for this purpose in the State especially in far-flung areas. He said that there is need to carry on developmental works in the State as “State succeeded in receiving maximum financial support from the Centre and a massive development process has been launched as such sporadic militancy related incidents and law and order incidents should not hamper the development process. He further said that standing operating procedures should be followed while dealing with law and order and militancy related incidents. He said that synergy existing between various forces needs to be further strengthened.
Omar also stressed on enhancing the rotary tonnage and providing helicopter service to the cut off and far-flung areas in the State.
The meeting was attended by Deputy Chief Minister, Mr. Tara Chand, Union Defence Secretary, Mr. Pardeep Kumar, Chief of Army Staff, Mr. Deepak Kapoor, GOC-in-C, Northern Command, Mr. B. S. Jaswal, Chief Secretary, Mr. S. S. Kapur, Financial Commissioner, Home, Mr. S. Verghese, Director General Police, Mr. Kuldeep Khuda, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister, Mr. Khursheed Ahmad Ganai, Divisional Commissioner, Jammu, Dr. Pawan Kotwal, Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, Mrs. Naseem Lankar, GoC of XIV, XV, XVI and IX Corps, ADGP, CID and other senior, police and security forces officials.
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