Srinagar-Jammu nat’l highway on security alert 4 yrs after Pulwama

SRINAGAR:  After the February 14, 2019 Pulwama militant attack, in which 40 paramilitary CRPF men were killed, security agencies are focussing to secure the key Srinagar-Jammu national highway to avert any big attacks by militants. IG CRPF Kashmir Operations M S Bhatia said the national highway in Kashmir is being kept under round the clock surveillance by security forces.

In Kashmir, the national highway passes through south Kashmir districts of Kulgam, Anantnag and Pulwama to connect Srinagar with Jammu. “We have got 24x7 CCTV surveillance of the highway. Besides, there are 12 permanent security posts on the highway. The round the clock surveillance of the highway is being conducted and feed of the CCTV is being continuously monitored,” Bhatia said. The drones and UAVs, he said, are also being used for the security and surveillance.

On February 14, a Jaish suicide bomber Aadil Dar rammed his explosive laden vehicle with a CRPF convoy at Lethpora, Pulwama on national highway in south Kashmir killing 40 paramilitary personnel and injuring over a dozen others.

The IG CRPF said the bomb disposal squads armed with deep search metal detectors and dog squads are also deployed for round the clock surveillance. The strategic Srinagar-Jammu national highway is the only link road connecting Kashmir with the rest of the country. The Valley depends on highway for the supplies.

The highway is key for the movement of security forces and security hardware to militancy-hit Kashmir and Ladakh. Another security official said after the 2019 Pulwama attack, the thrust of security forces has remained securing the Srinagar-Jammu national highway stretch from Srinagar to Qazigund in south Kashmir. He said appropriate security measures have been put in place to secure the highway and prevent any sabotage and foil any big militant attack.

After the Feb 14 attack, the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) were revised and many changes incorporated for safety and security of the highway. “Prior to the Feb 2019 attack, civilian vehicles were allowed to ply during the movement of security convoys but now civilian movement is disallowed during the movement of security convoys,” the security official said. He, however, said if any civilian vehicle moves due to an emergency, the information of the vehicle is shared with the nearest posts.