Internal security meet to discuss Kashmir, Maoist violence

NEW DELHI - As peace eludes the troubled Kashmir Valley where more than 60 civilians have been killed during the last two months, a worried central government will discuss the matter as well as other internal security issues with police chiefs of all states at a two-day conclave beginning here Wednesday.

Besides the Kashmir unrest, the other issues high on the agenda at the annual police conference are Maoist violence, strengthening internal security and filling gaping vacancies in the state police forces.

Home Minister P. Chidambaram will inaugurate the meeting on internal security and other related issues at Vigyan Bhawan. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will address the meeting on the concluding day.

The 45th annual conference of state police chiefs comes close on the heels of a chief ministers’ conference on internal security last month.

The security situation in Jammu and Kashmir where street protests and clashes have become a daily affair will be discussed threadbare at the conference, organised by the Intelligence Bureau, a home ministry official said.

In the last two months, violent protests in the Kashmir Valley have led to continuous curfew and seen the deaths of over 60 civilians in firing by security forces.

The prime minister will also present police medals for meritorious service at the conference of directors general of police and inspectors general of police.

The conference is expected to deliberate on major internal security threats, including Left wing extremism, terrorism, coastal security, insurgency in the northeast and fake currency notes in the country.

According to home ministry data, 209 security men and 325 civilians have been killed in over 1,100 attacks by Maoists this year alone. The prime minister has repeatedly described the Maoists as the “biggest” internal security threat.

The agenda also includes presentations on important policing issues like security arrangements planned for the Oct 3-14 Commonwealth Games in Delhi, the official said.

Measures adopted to tighten security along the 7,200 km-long coastline will also be reviewed.

At the July 14 conference of chief ministers, Manmohan Singh had laid emphasis on revisiting the anti-insurgency strategy. The issue is expected to come up again at the police chiefs’ meeting.

The July meeting had decided to form unified commands in the four Maoist-affected states - Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Orissa and West Bengal - by creating a unified command in each and also an extensive Rs.1,750 crore infrastructure package to counter the Leftist rebels.

Chidambaram had assured the states that the central government would assist them in deploying central paramilitary forces, sharing intelligence, funding the modernisation of police forces and providing logistics and other support.