Army reviews situation in Jammu and Kashmir

JAMMU - The Indian Army Wednesday reviewed the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir ahead of the forthcoming Republic Day Jan 26, which has come to greater attention this year because of Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) plans to hoist the national flag in Srinagar on the day.

The meeting was chaired by Corps Commander of 16 Corps Lt. Gen. J.P. Nehra, who is also the security advisor to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, at the corps headquarters at Nagrota, 13 km north of Jammu.

According to sources, the meeting focussed on two issues - first, tackling the threat by militants to disrupt the Republic Day function, information of which was intercepted by the security forces; and second, BJP’s planned march and unfurling of the tricolour at Lal Chowk in Srinagar.

The march, as per the route, is scheduled to pass through Jammu.

“It is an extraordinary situation and it would have to be dealt with a high degree of carefulness,” a participant of the meting told IANS.

The meeting also was attended by the state’s Director General of Police Kuldeep Khoda, Commissioner (special bureau) Tilak Devasher, Jammu’s Divisional Commissioner Pawan Kotwal and Inspector General of Police (Jammu) Dilbag Singh.

An army press release said: “The meeting reviewed the security situation in Jammu region in the light of forthcoming Republic Day.”

“There is a need to be more vigilant in view of the possibility of terrorists attempting to disrupt the existing peace in the region, especially during the coming week on account of the Republic Day,” Lt. Gen. Nehra said.

“The downward slide in terrorism was attributed to the high degree of dedication and cohesiveness amongst all the security agencies in the state but this should not lull us into complacency,” he added.

At the same time, he reiterated that the army would show “zero tolerance for human rights violations”.