Amit Shah to visit IB in Kathua today; hold high-level security review meet

Officials said the Union Home Minister will visit the International Border in the Hiranagar sector of Kathua district and later review the security situation at a high-level meeting.

Top officials of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), heads of paramilitary forces, and intelligence agencies, among others, reached here ahead of Amit Shah’s arrival.

The Home Minister will visit forward areas on the International Border, including Border Outposts of Gurnam and Bobiya in the Hiranagar sector of Kathua district and will inspect arrangements made by the BSF to curb infiltration.

“He will e-inaugurate and lay e-foundation of six welfare schemes for the BSF personnel from Bobiya border outpost and interact with BSF personnel. During the monsoon floods in August-September last year, some posts and fencing of the BSF were damaged, which have been repaired. He will interact with the BSF officers and jawans on the International Border and take feedback on the situation. Later, he will chair a high-level meeting to review the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir at the Lok Bhavan after his return from the International border,” officials said.

“Lt Governor Manoj Sinha, top officials of MHA, heads of paramilitary forces from New Delhi as well as J&K, Intelligence agencies, Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, Director General of Police (DGP) Nalin Prabhat and other senior officers of police and Intelligence from Jammu and Kashmir will attend the meeting. A comprehensive review of the security situation will be held in the meeting, especially about ongoing anti-terrorist operations in the hilly areas of the Jammu region against the foreign terrorists hiding there,” the officials added.

Two days ago, the joint security forces killed three Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorists, including two in Basantgarh, Udhampur and one in Chatroo, Kishtwar.

The Home Minister will also distribute compassionate appointment letters and meet the families of martyrs at the Lok Bhawan.

He will review the development of Jammu and Kashmir at a high-level meeting. He will return to New Delhi on Saturday afternoon.

L-G Manoj Sinha, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, senior officers of MHA and civil administration from Jammu and Kashmir will attend the development review meeting of the Home Minister. Security has been intensified in the Jammu region ahead of the Home Minister’s visit.

The Union Home Minister also chaired a security review meeting on J&K on January 8 in New Delhi. He directed a mission-mode approach to neutralise terrorists and ensure zero infiltration at the border to usher in complete peace in J&K.

The presence of Pakistani terrorists in the hilly districts of Kishtwar, Doda, Udhampur, Kathua, Poonch and Rajouri is a major security concern for the MHA, and security strategy is being further fine-tuned to address this problem, officials said.