To avoid a repeat of the stampede horror that claimed 12 lives and injured scores on the intervening night of December 31 last year and January 1 at the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi shrine, the chief executive officer of the shrine board, Anshul Garg on Friday jointly reviewed security and operational preparedness to pre-empt any such incident on New Year eve.
“CEO presided over a joint meeting with security agencies to review security and operational preparedness at the spiritual growth centre at Katra to assess security and operational preparedness of shrine area for hassle-free pilgrimage before the onset of the new year 2023,” said a spokesperson.
The meeting was attended by Mohammad Suleman Choudhary, DIG, Udhampur-Reasi Range, Navneet Singh, additional chief executive officer, SMVDSB, Amit Gupta SSP Reasi, Vishwajeet Singh, deputy chief executive officer, SMVDSB, Commandant CRPF, SDPO Katra, Dy. SP Bhawan and officers from Army, IB, CID, SMVDSB and other intelligence agencies.
It may be recalled that 12 pilgrims were killed and scores injured in a stampede at the cave shrine on New Year’s eve (December 31 last year -January 1).
The findings of a probe ordered by LG Manoj Sinha and marked to the then home secretary Shaleen Kabra on January 1, remain unclear. The findings had to be submitted to the government within a week.
{{/usCountry}}The findings of a probe ordered by LG Manoj Sinha and marked to the then home secretary Shaleen Kabra on January 1, remain unclear. The findings had to be submitted to the government within a week.
{{/usCountry}}Acting upon a PIL filed by prominent lawyer and social activist Sheikh Shakeel Ahmad on September 22, a division bench of the high court comprising then chief justice Pankaj Mithal and justice Sindhu Sharma had directed the UT administration and shrine board to file a response in a month but the case was never listed again.
The CEO emphasised conducting joint drills well in advance and plugging any gaps. “A slew of directives were issued to the sub-divisional magistrate, Bhawan for physical and systematic improvements wherever required,” the spokesperson said.