Abid Bashir
Srinagar, Oct 24: Jammu and Kashmir’s Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha Thursday chaired a crucial Unified Headquarters (UHQ) meeting in Srinagar to devise a fresh strategy to combat fresh threats, especially attacks on the vital infrastructure projects and non-J&K workforce. The LG directed the security grid of J&K to go all out against the terrorism and its eco-system in the UT so that peace remains intact.
Sources said that the heads of all security agencies were seen in a huddle at Rajbhawan this morning as Lt Governor chaired a crucial UHQ meeting. Among those who attended the meeting were Director General of Police J&K Nalin Prabhat, Northern Army Commander M V Suchindera Kumar, GoC of Srinagar based 15 Corps Lt General Prashant Srivastava, ADGP J&K Vijay Kumar, ADGP Jammu Anand Jain, IGP Kashmir V K Bhirdi, IG BSF, IGs of CRF and the Director Intelligence Bureau. From the administration Chief Secretary Atal Duloo and Principal Secretary Home also participated in the meeting.
Sources privy to the meeting said that the Lt Governor took serious note of the recent attack at Gagangeer, Ganderbal and sought feedback from the heads of security agencies as to how terrorists managed to reach the spot. “He called for a collective approach of security agencies to wipe out terrorism and its eco-system from J&K soil. The Lt Governor laid special emphasis on uprooting the terror network in Kashmir and directed the heads of security agencies to go tough on the terror sympathisers and Over Ground Workers (OGWs),” he said.
The Lt Governor sought details from the army officers including northern army commander about the successful infiltration attempts this year so far and the number of “foreign terrorists active in both regions.” Sources said that the LG reiterated that innocents shouldn’t be touched and culprits including terrorists shouldn’t be spared.
“The Lt Governor asked the security officials to track down those involved in the Gagangeer attack and punish them sternly,” the source said, adding that he also called for the highest level of vigil on the LoC and International Border (IB) to prevent possible infiltration bids ahead of snowfall.
The Lt Governor also directed the security grid to deal effectively with the challenge of narco-terror and act swiftly against those involved in drug trade. Today’s meeting came after two back-to-back security reviews taken by LG post Gagangeer, Ganderbal attack.
The Lt Governor stressed on the need of thorough security audits of all vital Infrastructure projects and security installations across the UT. The LG sources said, also asked the security heads to ensure solid security cover for non J&K workers working at various projects across J&K. “Enhancement of security at important developmental projects was also discussed and steps to be taken were fine tuned as well,” he said.
Present in the meeting, the heads of various security agencies vowed to maintain close synergy and coordination while dealing with the fresh challenges on terrorism front.
