Experts: Authorities’ comments after Jammu attacks surprising

SRINAGAR: On the instructions of the Prime Minister, Amit Shah held a high-level security briefing on Friday and scheduled another meeting for Sunday, in which National Security Advisor Ajit Doval will participate.

After reviewing the security situation in Jammu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked the security forces to deploy the full spectrum of anti-terror capabilities to minimise such attacks.
Prime Minister Modi also spoke to Home Minister Amit Shah and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval. He received a comprehensive overview of the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir and the anti-terror operations being conducted by the armed forces.

On the Prime Minister’s instructions, Union Home Minister Amit Shah held a high-level security meeting on Friday and scheduled another meeting for Sunday, which will also be attended by National Security Advisor Ajit Doval.

Prime Minister Modi has so far remained silent following the attacks, so security experts expect that there will be a befitting response to any attacks in the south of Pir Panchal in the Jammu region in recent days.

The Joint Command recently held a high-level meeting following the terrorist attacks in Jammu and is now focusing on the security of pilgrims during the upcoming Amarnath Yatra, which begins in June-end this month.

Senior security officials told the media that an area control exercise was being conducted on both the Pahalgam and Sonmarg routes in the Kashmir Valley and that additional troops would be deployed on the Srinagar-Jammu highway to minimise the possibility of an attack.
Attorney General of Jammu and Kashmir RR Swain said after the four attacks in Jammu that the security forces would give a befitting response to these attacks very soon.

It should be mentioned that terrorists carried out attacks at four locations in Reasi, Kathua and Doda district of Jammu division.

Apart from Reasi, terrorists opened fire in a village in Kathua district on Tuesday. On Wednesday, a policeman was injured in Doda district when they attacked a police post. An army camp was also attacked, injuring five army personnel.

On Sunday, terrorists opened fire on a bus carrying pilgrims from Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan as it was travelling from the Shiv Khori temple to the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Katra. The bus plunged into a ravine, killing nine people and injuring dozens of pilgrims.

Jammu and Kashmir Police Commissioner RR Swain said that after receiving some tips, they have arrested 50 people and are now expecting to identify the incidents and those responsible for these attacks.

Politics are already playing a role in the aftermath of the attacks, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi coming under criticism for his failure to carry out targeted strikes.

Most political parties, including the Shiv Sena (UBT), have criticized the authorities for their negligence towards the terrorists and their actions against the opposition.

Former Prime Minister and National Conference patron Dr Farooq Abdullah said no targeted strikes would deter Pakistan from sending militants.

He said that dialogue was the only way to stop such attacks and that Modi’s policies in Jammu and Kashmir had failed.