Spike in Terror Threats, Intel Inputs as J&K Preps for 3 Big Events - PM's Visit, Amarnath Yatra, Elections

Jammu & Kashmir Police personnel near the site of an encounter between security forces and terrorists at Saida Sukhal village in Hiranagar sector of Kathua district, on June 12, 2024. (PTI)

With Prime Minister Narendra Modi slated to visit J&K and with the Amarnath Yatra coming up as well, central agencies, security forces and local administration are focused on ensuring comprehensive security measures following big spike in threats from terror groups and intelligence inputs indicating potential attacks in the Union Territory. These security measures are also important from the viewpoint of Assembly elections likely to be held after analysing the situation following the completion of the Amarnath Yatra.

While a security review meeting is scheduled on Sunday to be chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, sources say additional forces are likely to be deployed for the series of events lined up in J&K.

Forces were sent from Ranikhet, Guwahati, Patna and Lucknow among other locations to Jammu and Kashmir for the Amarnath Yatra earlier this month. Sources said central police forces have been stationed in J&K already, but after the recent spate of attacks, senior officials feel the requirement of more forces.

Sources added that as the focus area would be Jammu, forces there will get additional bulletproof vehicles for movement. The CRPF, which is deployed in J&K to assist local police, may utilise specialised Anti-Terror Quick Action teams in Jammu.

A top-level official supervising the operations told News18 that threat messages purportedly from different terror groups have now doubled in various social media groups. Central intelligence agencies have deployed a senior-level official who recently visited J&K to look after input generation.

“We are seeing almost double the number of inputs since the June 9 Reasi attack in which nine civilians were killed in a bus. Forces are coordinating with intelligence agencies to act on inputs suggesting hideouts of terrorists,” a senior government official said.

Similarly, a CRPF official deployed in J&K said multiple threat messages have been floating around. “Camp attacks, fidayeen (suicide) attack, ambush, civilian killings — all type of threats are floating around ahead of three big events (PM’s visit, Amarnath Yatra, elections). We are tracking these threats to know the authenticity so that corrective measures can be taken before any incident,” the official said.

Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah on Friday reviewed J&K security in a meeting with senior officers of the MHA, official said.

The Home Minister also gave direction to call a meeting on June 16 in North Block to review the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir and preparation for Amarnath Yatra. L-G of Jammu & Kashmir, NSA, Union Home Secretary, senior officers from Army, police, J&K administration and the MHA will attend the meeting.

Three terror attacks have unfolded in J&K within 72 hours. Terrorists attacked a village near the international border on Tuesday evening, injuring a civilian. During a subsequent search operation, one terrorist was killed, while efforts were being made to flush out the other holed-up terrorist believed to have infiltrated from across the border.

Prior to these attacks, in one of the biggest incidents since the abrogation of Article 370, terrorists attacked a bus carrying pilgrims from the Shiv Khori temple to Katra in Reasi on Sunday. In the firing, the bus plunged into a deep gorge, causing nine fatalities and injuring 41 others.