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Paramilitary forces mobilised ahead of assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir

Sep 05, 2024 04:02 PM IST

The army and the BSF have also enhanced surveillance along the 744-km long Line of Control and 198-km international border with Pakistan

The Union government has mobilised paramilitary forces ahead of the first assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir in a decade, especially against the backdrop of a spurt in terror attacks in the hilly and rugged Jammu region since June.

An officer said the security forces have adopted a proactive approach. (PTI)
An officer said the security forces have adopted a proactive approach. (PTI)

As many as 60 to 80 terrorists are believed to have infiltrated the Jammu region in March-April this year. Pakistan has sought to push more terrorists prompting security forces to go all out in counter-insurgency operations.

“The army has deployed an [additional] 3,000 troops including 500 para commandos to cover the gaps created by the withdrawal of forces post-Galwan clash [with the Chinese] in eastern Ladakh on June 15, 2020. The BSF [Border Security Force] moved 2,000 men from Odisha to the international border in Jammu. Around 2,000 men of the Assam Rifles have been deployed from Manipur to augment anti-terror operations. The motive is to check infiltration on the border and seek and destroy terrorists who have sneaked in,” said a security official.

The army and the BSF have also enhanced surveillance along the 744-km long Line of Control and 198-km international border. “They have been provided modern surveillance technologies and weapons to deal with aerial threats in the forms of drones. The BSF has also been undertaking anti tunneling drive to detect trans border tunnels,” said the official.

BSF director general Daljit Singh visited the Jammu border on August 22 for a security review. The Union government has retained around 450 companies of paramilitary forces sent to Jammu and Kashmir for the annual Amarnath Yatra. Nearly 450 additional companies have been sent for poll duty.

Around 900 companies, each comprising 110 personnel, of paramilitary forces have been deployed for election duties. The official said this was over and above the regular deployment of the Jammu and Kashmir Police.

An army officer said the security forces have adopted a proactive approach to pre-empting any possible terror strikes in upper reaches. “In Kathua, Samba, Udhampur, Reasi, Doda, Kishtwar, Bhaderwah, Ramban, Rajouri, and Poonch districts, the security forces have filled the voids. Search operations have been intensified in the upper reaches. The forces are also dominating hills along the highways so that the terrorists do not get away with their shoot-and-scoot tactic. We have maintained a constant pressure on terrorists,” he said.

He added that deployment has been increased in hilly areas of Rajouri, Poonch, Reasi, Doda, Kishtwar, Udhampur, and Kathua districts.

A police officer said they have also roped in village defence guards (VDGs), who are being provided self-loading rifles and semi-automatic weapons. “We are roping in ex-servicemen as VDGs, who are well-trained in weapon handling. Apart from this, the army is also organising firing practice for the VDGs with these semi-automatic weapons.”

Dheeraj Sharma, a former village head in Rajouri’s Dhangri, called the move of providing self-loading rifles to the VDGs a good move. “The VDGs would now be in a better position to effectively guard their villages and take on armed terrorists. Earlier, with 303 rifles, which have become obsolete, they were no match against US M4 carbine and AK-47 wielding terrorists,” Sharma. He added the VDGs were also getting 50 cartridges with each SLR.

Chief election commissioner Rajiv Kumar on August 9 said democracy can never be allowed to be held hostage to terror activities. “Our forces and administration are capable of dealing with any situation that comes in the way.”

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