Srinagar, June 04 (NVI): Union Home Minister Amit Shah will chair a high-level meeting on June 8 to review the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir and assess preparedness for the upcoming annual Amarnath Yatra, sources said.
The meeting, to be held in New Delhi, comes ahead of the commencement of the pilgrimage and is expected to focus on security arrangements for the yatra, which attracts thousands of devotees every year.
Sources said the review will cover the overall security scenario in Jammu and Kashmir, with discussions likely on the deployment of security forces, intelligence coordination, surveillance measures and contingency plans to address potential threats.
Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, senior officials of the Union Territory administration, top police officers and representatives of the security establishment are expected to attend the meeting.
Among those likely to be present are the Director General of Police, the Chief Secretary and senior officers from the Army, police and central security agencies.
Shah is expected to take stock of the prevailing security situation and review measures put in place for the smooth and peaceful conduct of the pilgrimage. Intelligence inputs and ground-level assessments are also likely to be discussed during the meeting, sources said.
The annual Amarnath Yatra, one of the country’s major religious pilgrimages, is scheduled to begin on July 3 and conclude on August 28. Pilgrims undertake the journey to the holy cave shrine through the traditional Pahalgam route in Anantnag district and the shorter Baltal route in Ganderbal district.
Authorities have been making extensive security and logistical arrangements, including route sanitisation, area domination exercises, convoy protection and deployment of surveillance systems, to ensure the safe conduct of the pilgrimage.
The June 8 meeting is expected to serve as a final review of preparedness ahead of the yatra, sources added.(NVI)
