Ahead of Amarnath Yatra, security agencies discuss safeguarding of Kashmir highway

Top security officials held a meeting in south Kashmir’s Anantnag where securing the national highway, which connects Jammu with the Srinagar and the Amarnath route in south Kashmir’s Pahalgam, remained the focus

With the Amarnath yatra just two months away, security agencies on Saturday discussed ways and means to tackle threats like vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices in south Kashmir.

Top security officials of the Jammu and Kashmir Police, CRPF, Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), CID and the Army held a meeting in south Kashmir’s Anantnag. The 62-day yatra will commence from July 1, 2023 this year.

Officials said securing the national highway, which connects Jammu with the Srinagar and the Amarnath route in south Kashmir’s Pahalgam, remained the focus of the meeting. The threat posed by vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices and other potential militant threats were debated and counter-measures were discussed, they said.

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Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Vijay Kumar instructed all Senior Superintendents of Police (SP) “to focus on anti-militant operations, the busting of militant modules by apprehending terrorist associates”. “The police officers were specially tasked to generate preventive intelligence and share timely information amongst all stakeholders,” the police said.

The Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) of convoy movement was also discussed and fresh suggestions incorporated to upgrade it further. “All the field officers gave their assessment,” the police said.

The Army’s Victor Force asked its Sector Commanders “to carry out extensive area domination at night”.