HM Amit Shah Reviews J&K Security Grid With LG Sinha, Army Chief

Jammu: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday chaired a high-level security review meeting in Jammu, joined by Chief of Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, and senior officials from the security establishment. The meeting lasted three hours and focused on the prevailing security situation in Jammu and Kashmir, particularly in the wake of intensified counter-terror operations in the region.

The officials said the deliberations reviewed recent encounters across Kathua, Udhampur and Kishtwar districts, where security forces neutralised four Pakistan-origin terrorists affiliated with Jaish-e-Mohammad over the past two weeks.

The meeting also assessed measures to strengthen the counter-terror grid, coordination among agencies, and steps to counter infiltration attempts along the border.

The Home Minister directed security agencies to continue operations against terror infrastructure and financing networks in “mission mode". He reiterated that all resources would be made available to achieve the objective of a “terror-free” Jammu and Kashmir.

As per the sources present at the meeting, HM Shah also emphasised vigilance along border belts, where intelligence inputs have indicated attempts by groups across the border to push terrorists into Indian territory.

Recent encounters have highlighted the scale of infiltration attempts as in Udhampur’s Joffer forest, police and Army units killed two Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorists after tracking them to a hideout. Another operation in Basantgarh led to the elimination of a JeM commander.

In Kishtwar’s Chatroo area, a Pakistani terrorist was killed following a prolonged exchange of fire in snowbound terrain, while an encounter in Kathua district earlier in January resulted in the death of another infiltrator. The recoveries from these operations included assault rifles, grenades, and large quantities of ammunition.

The meeting also discussed drone activity reported from across the border. The officials said there have been multiple instances of weapons and narcotics being dropped in border villages, prompting security agencies to step up surveillance and deploy counter-drone systems.

Amit Shah reviewed these measures and stressed the need for advanced monitoring and rapid response capabilities to intercept such attempts.

Earlier in the day, the Home Minister visited forward posts of the Border Security Force (BSF) in Kathua district, including Gurnam and Bobiya border outposts in the Hiranagar sector. He interacted with BSF personnel and inspected deployment patterns along infiltration-prone stretches of the International Border. His visit was aimed at assessing ground-level preparedness and ensuring that security forces are equipped to respond to cross-border threats. 

This was the second security review chaired by Home Minister Shah within a month. On January 8, he presided over a similar meeting in New Delhi, directing agencies to sustain pressure on terror outfits and their support networks.

Earlier, the Union Home Secretary had also chaired a review meeting during his two-day visit to Jammu on January 14 and 15, focusing on operational coordination and resource mobilisation.

The officials said Amit Shah’s current visit reflects the Centre’s dual approach of tightening the security grid while simultaneously pushing developmental projects in border areas. During his inspection of BSF posts, Shah laid the foundation stone for six welfare and infrastructure projects aimed at improving facilities for personnel stationed in forward areas.

Meanwhile, security agencies have intensified area dominance exercises, random vehicle checks, and frisking operations in urban centres, including Jammu city and Srinagar. Night patrolling has been increased along infiltration-prone stretches, with police and CRPF conducting surprise searches in sensitive localities.

The security officials believe that groups based in Pakistan are attempting to exploit gaps in terrain and weather conditions to push terrorists into the Jammu region, which has seen a spike in encounters since early January.