Jahangeer Ganai
Anantnag, Apr 29: Close on the heels of deadly attack on army vehicle at Bhata-Durian area of Poonch on April 21 that left five soldiers’ dead, to security officials Saturday were in a huddle in Southern district of Anantnag to devise counter strategy to foil vehicle-borne IED and sticky bomb threats. In the meeting, Convoy movement was upgraded and a “fresh plan was devised for national highway security.”
The meeting was chaired by the ADGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar and attended by top officials of army, CRPF, BSF, SSB and other security agencies. Officials privy to the meeting said that the meeting discussed vehicle borne IED threat and other potential threats from militants that include sticky bombs etc.
“All the officers/officials put forth their suggestions on how to counter vehicle-based IED and sticky bomb threats. Other possible militant threats were also discussed and a joint strategy devised to foil all the bids by the militants,” the official said, wishing not to be quoted. He said that in the meeting many officials admitted that vehicle-borne IEDs and sticky bombs were a challenge. The official said that a joint strategy was needed to counter both the emerging threats effectively.
A source privy to the meeting said that the meeting evolved a consensus that security on national highways needs to be given a special focus. “Night patrolling and area domination will be increased on highways forthwith,” he said.
Present in the meeting were army’s GoC Victor Force Maj General Prashant Srivastava, IG CRPF Kashmir Ops Sector M S Bhatia, IG BSF Ashok Yadav, Joint Director IB, Army’s sector commanders in South Kashmir, DIGs of police, CRPF, SSB, ITBP & CID and SSPs of Anantnag, Pulwama, Kulgam and Awantipora.
A police spokesman said that during the meeting, potential threats from militants on national highways were discussed in detail and more counter measures were decided. “Standard Operating Procedure (SoP) of convoy movement were also discussed and accordingly upgraded. All field officers gave their assessment. ADGP Kashmir instructed all SSPs to focus on anti-militant operations, busting of militant modules by apprehending terrorist associates,” the spokesman said.
He said that they were specially tasked to generate preventive intelligence and share timely amongst all stakeholders. “GoC Victor force asked sector commanders to do extensive area domination in night too,” the spokesman said.
