Home Minister Amit Shah holds high-level meeting on security situation of Jammu and Kashmir

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday held a high-level meeting on the current security situation in Jammu and Kashmir valley and on the Amarnath Yatra. The meeting comes just three days after he took charge as the union minister.

The newly-elected minister also called for the meeting to review the development-related projects in the state. Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba, Additional Secretary (Kashmir) Gyanesh Kumar and other top officials of the MHA were also in the meeting. The Amarnath Yatra is scheduled to begin on July 1.

Earlier, state DGP Dilbag Singh had called for strengthening security along the Indo-Pak border ahead of the yatra and said a three-tier system should be put in place. Singh, who visited border districts of Kathua and Poonch on Monday, said vulnerable areas should be kept under surveillance.

The DGP issued directions to all officials of Kathua district and other security agencies to make all possible efforts to further strengthen the security grid along the border, officials said. Singh said arrangements should be made for single-window clearance and checking of vehicles for the yatra, which will begin on July 1. He said control rooms and security checkpoints should be established at suitable places to keep a vigil on anti-social elements.

Singh visited Dudu Basantgrah and Bani Lothang in twin districts of Udhampur and Kathua, and later went to Mendhar border belt of Poonch district, the officials said. While interacting with jawans, the DGP also impressed upon strengthening village defence committees (VDCs). The DGP stressed for enhanced synergy among the security forces for the conduct of the peaceful yatra.