SRI NAGAR: The Army has launched ‘Operation Shiva’ for a smooth conduct of 59-day-long annual Amarnath Yatra in Jammu and Kashmir, beginning July 2.
“We have no specific inputs about a possible militant threat to Amarnath Yatra. But we have general inputs about movement of militants in South Kashmir,” General Officer Commanding (GoC) of Army’s Srinagar-based 15 Corps Lt Gen Subrata Saha told reporters on the sidelines of a function here.
“The Army will be providing environmental security to secure all the approaches to yatra, including both the Chandanwari and Baltal routes,” he said.
Saha said aerial surveillance of the route is being done on a daily basis.
Sources said unmanned aerial vehicles have been deployed for surveillance of the yatra route and cave shrine. The Army has also intensified search operations in forest areas along the yatra route. “The surveillance will prevent any nefarious design of militants to disrupt the yatra,” Lt Gen Saha said, adding that all arrangements have been put in place.
He said they would keep modifying the security plan to meet the threats as and when they emerge. On infiltration, the GoC said Army has foiled three infiltration attempts along the LOC in Kupwara within a fortnight.
“We have killed eight militants... Even during past Saturday night militants made an infiltration attempt in Keran sector. However, our men foiled the attempt and militants fled, leaving a wirecutter and walking stick behind,” he said.