Union Home Minister Amit Shah reviewed the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir on Friday with senior officers from his ministry and the Intelligence Bureau (IB). This review followed four terror attacks in the Jammu region since Sunday, resulting in the deaths of 10 people, including nine civilians and a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jawan.
Shah was briefed on the current deployment in the Jammu region, including the Line of Control (LoC) and international border, the status of combing operations by security forces to locate the terrorists, and steps being taken to identify their local supporters. The home minister has scheduled a detailed meeting on June 16 in North Block, to be attended by Lt. Governor Manoj Sinha, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla, senior officers from the army, J&K police, central paramilitary forces, and local administration. The meeting will focus on further measures to ensure foolproof security and preparations for the upcoming Amarnath Yatra.
An official, who wished to remain unnamed, mentioned that specific instructions on handling the situation are expected from Shah, especially after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s directive to deploy the full spectrum of counter-terror capabilities in response to the recent attacks. The June 16 review meeting will also consider whether to send additional paramilitary forces to the affected districts of Rajouri, Kathua, Samba, Jammu, and Poonch.
Currently, 70 battalions (approximately 70,000 personnel) of central paramilitary forces are deployed in Jammu and Kashmir to manage insurgency and law and order issues. The Border Security Force (BSF) and the army are responsible for maintaining vigilance at the border. There are 675 border outposts (BOPs) along the 3,323-km-long land border with Pakistan, with 31 more BOPs expected to be completed by June 2025. The government has also sanctioned a 2097.646 km fence, with 2064.666 km completed and the remaining work in progress.
Intelligence agencies have informed ground forces of increased infiltration attempts from the LoC and the international border, with Pakistan allegedly trying to incite trouble through proxy outfits like Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM). Despite the uptick in recent weeks, overall infiltration has significantly dropped in J&K since 2017, with data showing a decline from 419 attempts (136 successful infiltrations) in 2017 to 53 attempts (14 successful infiltrations) in 2022, and almost negligible attempts last year. As of June 2023, there have been zero reported infiltration incidents.
To contain cross-border infiltration, authorities are strengthening border infrastructure with multi-tiered deployment along the International Border and LoC, and near infiltration routes. This includes round-the-clock surveillance and patrolling, establishment of observation posts, increased BSF personnel in sensitive areas, construction of border fencing, floodlighting, and the use of advanced technology such as handheld thermal imagers (HHTI), night vision devices (NVD), twin telescopes, and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The intelligence setup is also being regularly upgraded.
In the recent terror attacks, highly trained foreign terrorists from Pakistan targeted civilians and security forces in Reasi, Kathua, and Doda districts. In one incident, militants opened fire on a joint check post of the 4 Rashtriya Rifles and the Jammu & Kashmir Police in Doda’s Chattargala area, injuring five army personnel and a special police officer after a prolonged gunbattle.
Another attack occurred in the Kota Top area, where terrorists attacked a police team, injuring head constable Fareed Ahmed. In Kathua, a gunbattle resulted in the death of one CRPF jawan, injuries to six security personnel and one civilian, and the neutralization of two terrorists. These attacks followed an incident in Reasi, where terrorists opened fire on a bus carrying pilgrims, causing it to lose control and plunge into a gorge, resulting in nine deaths and 42 injuries.
