Union Home Secretary meets LG Manoj Sinha

Jammu, Jan 15: Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan, on the second day of his two-day crucial J&K security review visit, met the Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha at Lok Bhavan, Jammu on Thursday.

Following it, the Union Home Secretary, joined by top central officials, resumed a second round of security review at the Convention Centre, Jammu, before wrapping up his significant visit to the Union Territory and leaving for the union capital.

Sources stated that the visiting dignitary reached the Lok Bhavan at around 10 am for a courtesy meeting with the Lieutenant Governor, who directly deals with the security, law and order in J&K. A couple of senior officials too joined them in the meeting.

Officially, however, no statement was issued regarding the meeting.

“It was a kind of courtesy breakfast meeting. The deliberations over breakfast are understood to have focussed on evolving security situation in J&K ahead of Republic Day celebrations, amid rising drone intrusion incidents from across the border and ongoing Counter Terror (CT) operations,” the sources stated.

Following it, the Union Home Secretary, joined by senior officers, straightaway reached the Convention Centre, Jammu, to resume the second round of assessment of operational preparedness and the desired steps to further bolster the security grid so as to make it invincible to continue pressure on the adversary and offer no elbow room to terrorists hiding in the mountainous areas of the region.

The visiting dignitary is understood to have reiterated his directions for bolstering the anti-infiltration grid amid challenging weather conditions with a perfect synergised approach among all security agencies, ahead of Republic Day celebrations.

Unrelenting synergised operations by security forces in tandem with the civil administration, heightened surveillance using advanced technology, besides vigilance by the foot soldiers and strengthening of human intel and the Village Defence Guards (VDGs), and dismantling of terror infrastructure with focus on OGWs and terror sympathizers have been the key features of the security apparatus in the evolving scenario.

The Union Home Secretary-led team of top central officers had reached Jammu late afternoon on January 14 for a two-day security assessment visit to J&K. He held extensive deliberations with the security agencies with major emphasis on Counter Terror (CT) Operations targetting terrorists, terror infrastructure, and the developments along the Line of Control (LoC) and the International Border (IB).

The visit, amid heightened security alert ahead of Republic Day celebrations, assumes significance as the border districts of the Jammu region in the recent past have witnessed a spurt in drone-incursion incidents from across the border, besides frequent sightings of terrorists or armed suspects, amid dense fog.

In the backdrop of increased attempts by Pakistan-based handlers to push terrorists and arms through drone activity and infiltration routes – taking advantage of inclement weather conditions, particularly dense fog and heightened activities of terrorists, hiding in mountainous areas of Doda, Kishtwar, Udhampur, Kathua and Reasi, all the security agencies are on high alert.

Intensive Cordon and Search Operations (CASOs) are on in different areas, including the Samba district, to eliminate the hiding terrorists and identify their support structure.

Earlier on January 8, the Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Amit Shah, while chairing a security review meeting on Jammu and Kashmir in New Delhi, had directed all security agencies to remain alert and continue to work in synergy to ensure that the gains achieved after abrogation of Article 370 were sustained to achieve the goal of ‘terror free J&K’ at the earliest.