LG Sinha directs stronger measures to protect borders in J&K

Jammu, Feb 13 (PTI) Directing for stronger measures to protect the borders amid a ceasefire violation and a major IED attack in the recent past, Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Thursday said all security agencies must work together to counter the cross-border threats.

He also called for intensified efforts to wipe out terrorism from Jammu province and said every perpetrator and supporter of terrorism must pay the price.

“We must strengthen border security against asymmetric threats due to porous border with riverines and difficult mountain range and all the security agencies must work together to provide necessary back-up support,” the lieutenant governor said, chairing a high-level meeting to review the security scenario in Jammu division.

This was the second security review meeting chaired by the lieutenant governor in as many days. On Wednesday, Sinha presided over a high-level security review meeting in Srinagar for Kashmir valley.

The back-to-back security review meetings took place amid a series of incidents along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu division over the past couple of days.

While two army personnel, including a captain, were killed in a powerful Improvised Explosive Device (IED) explosion triggered by the terrorists in Akhnoor sector of Jammu on February 11, a soldier was injured in cross-border firing in Rajouri sector a day earlier.

The Pakistani troops also violated ceasefire by resorting to unprovoked firing on the army posts in Poonch sector on Wednesday, prompting a befitting reply by the Indian Army.

The security review meeting in Jammu was attended by senior police officers led by DGP Nalin Prabhat, who along with Inspector General of Police, Jammu zone, Bhim Sen Tuti, briefed the chair on the future action plan and the proposed measures to tackle the security challenges to ensure a safe and secure environment for the common citizen, an official spokesman said.

He said the IGP railways also gave a detailed presentation on the security architecture of railways and the roadmap put in place to strengthen the security of stations and the tracks.

“Our focus should be on complete wipe-out of terrorism from Jammu division. We should not even have remnants of terrorism in Jammu region,” the lieutenant governor said, addressing the meeting.

He called for effective steps to wipe-out terrorism and ensure complete dismantling of the infrastructure and local support of terrorism.

The lieutenant governor directed the police officials to take strongest possible action against those providing logistical and financial support to terrorism.

“Every perpetrator and supporter of terrorism must pay the price. We need to equip ourselves with credible intelligence and act more effectively to neutralise the terrorists and ensure the security of citizens,” he said.

Sinha directed the police officials to make sure that acts of individuals or groups trying to create fear in the society are termed as “terrorist action” and they should be punished as per the law.

He discussed a roadmap for technology driven policing, area domination plan, inter-agency coordination, action against narco-terrorism, capacity building of police force and innovative strategies to improve cyber patrolling and monitoring capabilities.

The lieutenant governor stressed on credible intelligence gathering, sharing of real time operational intelligence and anti-terror operations based on precise inputs.

He also called for strengthening the legal framework to deal with terror propagandists and strengthening of police establishment at local level for modern and efficient policing.