Amarnath Yatra: Security beefed up in Pathankot, border areas after recent infiltration bid

During a high-leve meeting, the focus was on strategic preparations for the ongoing Amarnath Yatra, encompassing diverse aspects such as police deployment, security measures, traffic management, and disaster management.

Punjab special DGP (law and order) Arpit Shukla on Wednesday chaired a high-level meeting to review security arrangements for Amarnath Yatra. The meeting was attended by representatives from armed forces, civil administration and other security agencies including DIG border range Rakesh Kaushal, DIG BSF Gurdaspur Shashank Anand, DIG BSF Gurdaspur Yuvraj Dubey, Pathankot deputy commissioner Aditya Uppal, Pathankot SSP Suhail Qasim Mir, Kathua SSP Anayat Ali and Wing Commander AIF Pathankot Narinder Singh and senior officers from central agencies.

Senior officials during a meeting in Pathankot.

The meeting focused on strategic preparations for the ongoing Amarnath Yatra, encompassing diverse aspects such as police deployment, security measures, traffic management, and disaster management. The review also focused on recent incidents involving sightings of armed suspects in Kot Bhattian village, Bamial, and an encounter with an armed suspect in Kathua district.

Shukla deliberated on securing the International Border and ensuring the safety of the devotees going for Amarnath Yatra. “Punjab Police has escalated the level of security with deployment of 550 police personnel, SOG, sniper detachments, bomb disposal and other commando units, and high-alert has been sounded, with eight nakas acting as second line of defence,” Shukla said.

He informed that the route has been divided into five sectors for effective management and four companies of CAPF have been stationed along the route, he added.