Srinagar: With terror threat looming large on the upcoming Amarnath Yatra, the Jammu and Kashmir administration has chalked out an elaborate security plan to thwart any evil design.
Among various measures, it has been decided that a large number of security personnel, drawn from various forces, would be deployed well in advance on both Pahalgam and Baltal routes to sanitise these as well as the camps.
The 43-day yatra to the Holy Cave of Lord Shiva in the mountains of South Kashmir is slated to begin on June 30.
The annual pilgrimage is expected to attract lakhs of devotees, particularly since it is going to be be held physically this time after a gap of two years, a disruption caused by Covid.
A so-called ‘The Resistance Front (TRF)’ terror outfit, which is actually a frontal organisation of Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), has already issued a veiled threat to target the pilgrimage.
The threat issued a few days back, came amidst intensified efforts by Pakistan to push terrorists into Kashmir through the Line of Control (LoC).
The Indian security forces have already foiled at least two infiltration attempts this week, killing 6 Pakistani terrorists.
However, the threat remains alive.
Also read: Amarnath Yatra: Pak-backed terror outfit issues threat
The security establishment yesterday undertook a detailed review of the situation in the context of Amarnath Yatra during a meeting chaired by J&K Director General of Police Dilbag Singh.
The meeeting, attended by senior officers from Police, Army and Central Armed Police Forces, deliberated upon the security arrangements and deployment of personnel for the Yatra, a police spokesman said.
Considering that pilgrims use two routes — one via Pahalgam and another via Baltal (in Sonmarg) — to reach the Holy Cave, it was decided that “sufficient manpower will be deployed in advance so that the camps and routes of yatra are secured and checked at the earliest.”
Also read: Kashmir: 3 terrorists killed in encounter on Amarnath Yatra route
Adequate and effective deployments would be made on the ground to address any vulnerability, the spokesman said.
The DGP directed the officers to revisit security plans and finetune these at sectoral level to augment an adequate response to any exigency.
He laid emphasis on ROPs (road opening parties), lateral deployment and law & order deployment to neutralize threats and meet the challenges, the spokesman said.
Adequate manpower will be available to the jurisdictional officers.
The meeting also decided that rescue teams will be deployed by the Police forces at various places to provide necessary help to the Yatris.
The DGP stressed upon the forces to maintain close coordination with their ranks and other security agencies to achieve better results.
He asked officers to lay special focus on sensitive locations and base camps while putting in place the security arrangements.
Also read: Kashmir: Infiltration bid foiled, 3 Pakistani terrorists, Army porter killed in gunfight
The police chief directed that the identified routes of travel and movement by the pilgrims, Do’s and Don’ts for the yatris and Helpline numbers should be made public and be circulated through every possible medium so that yatris could take note and ask for any assistance effortlessly.
The DGP said that adequate logistics with regard to mobility, CCTVs and other security gadgets will be made available along with sufficient manpower.
