Punjab border districts on alert after Jaish camp strike, CM visit today

Deputy Commissioners (DCs) and Senior Superintendents of Police (SSPs) of the border areas have been asked to put in place all contingency plans to ensure the protection and safety of the citizens.

Punjab has put its border districts on high alert after Indian Air Force (IAF) strikes on Jaish terror camp across the Line of Control in Balakot. The cross-border mission comes just The strike on terror camp comes 12 days after the Pulwama terror attack which killed 40 CRPF jawans after a Jaish terrorist rammed an explosive-laden vehicle into a CRPF convoy on Jammu-Srinagar highway on February 14.

Chief Minister Amarinder Singh will visit the border areas from Pathankot to Ferozepur by road on Wednesday (AFP)

Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh has ordered a spate of measures as part of the state’s preparedness to deal with any contingency in view of the latest developments at the LoC. Top police officials of the border areas have been asked to ensure the protection and safety of people.

The chief minister will visit the border areas from Pathankot to Ferozepur by road on Wednesday, an official spokesperson announced after a high-level law and order review meeting, chaired by CM. The state administration, after the review meet, decided against any move to evacuate the residents of the border areas. The officials said that there was no need for panic.

The CM discussed all aspects of the current situation with the top brass of the police and civil administration, including CM’s chief principal secretary Suresh Kumar, chief secretary Karan Avtar Singh, home secretary NS Kalsi, DGP Dinkar Gupta and DGP intelligence VK Bhawara.

Earlier, he tweeted his full support for the strikes. “Great job by the #IndianAirForce. The #IAFStrikes have sent the much needed signal to Pakistan and the terrorists it’s harbouring - don’t think you can get away with acts like the #PulwamaAttack. Bravo to the #IAF men and my full support for the action,” he wrote.

Immediately after the Pulwama attack on a CRPF convoy, Amarinder Singh had called for strong retaliatory action and said that the Congress would support any course of action decided by the central government. “They have killed 41, we should kill 82 of theirs,” he had said.