NEW DELHI: Amid a spurt in terror attacks in the Jammu region, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday chaired a high-level meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) to assess the situation.
Officials gave a comprehensive briefing on the measures taken so far to proactively eliminate the scattered roots of localised terror links and sympathisers. Though no official details of meeting were shared with the media, sources said the aim was to stratagise and bolster security measures in the conflict-torn state.
Home minister Amit Shah, defence minister Rajnath Singh, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, J&K’s Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and other senior officials in-charge of the security grid were present at the meeting. The officers presented a detailed chart of tactical strategies being used for elimination of localised terror links and neutralising terrorists.
“The presentations provided an overview of the current security scenario and focused on ongoing counter-terrorism operations by the armed forces,” an official said.
Hours before the meeting, two soldiers were injured in an encounter in J&K’s Doda district. Elsewhere in the Keran sector along the Line of Control, the Army foiled an infiltration attempt and gunning down two militants.
Modi is learnt to have directed officials to ramp up the deployment of armed forces in areas identified as vulnerable to terror activities. He also directed the intensification of counter-terror operations.
Security forces along with the J&K Police have launched comprehensive operations to curb the surge in terror across the region. As part of their intensified effort, many persons suspected of helping or aiding terrorists have been arrested in the last few days.
The recent spate of terror attacks are also possibly timed to impact the assembly polls that are due in September in J&K, throwing a challenge to the administration.
On June 13, Modi had chaired a high level review meeting on J&K after four encounters were reported between security forces and militants. At that meeting, he had directed security officials as well as those at the helm of anti-terror operations to ensure the “full spectrum of counter terror capabilities” are deployed in the region.
Since 2021, as many as 34 soldiers have been killed in J&K while security forces neutralised 40 terrorists during anti-terror operations during the same period. The toll of security personnel laying down their lives in the line of duty in J&K since May this year stands at 13 — nine Army personnel and one each from the IAF, CRPF, BSF and J&K Police.
Capt Thapa’s coffin
The mortal remains of Captain Brijesh Thapa, who was killed while combating terrorists in Doda, were brought to his hometown in Darjeeling district’s Lebong on Thursday