Mufti, Rajnath meet to discuss security

NEWDELHI: JAMMU and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti on Tuesday met Union home minister Rajnath Singh and discussed the prevailing situation in the state, an official said.

During the 20-minute meeting, the chief minister briefed the Union home minister on the security situation in the Valley as well as along the border with Pakistan, which has been witnessing heavy crossborder firing and continuous attempts of infiltration by militants.

Mehbooba sought immediate construction of more individual and community bunkers besides other relief measures for the victims of border firing in the state.

She also discussed the implementation of ‘Agenda of Alliance’ in the state and the necessary steps to be taken for its expeditious execution.

The ongoing peace initiatives being undertaken by the Centre’s representative Dineshwar Sharma were also taken up in their discussions, the home ministry official said.

On Monday, the General Officer Commanding of the Srinagar-based Chinar Corps, Lt Gen AK Bhatt, had said a large number of terrorists were waiting at launching pads across the Line of Control (LOC) to cross over into Kashmir and ceasefire violations by Pakistan are also an attempt to push infiltrators.

There were 515 infiltration incidents in Jammu and Kashmir in 2017 in which 75 militants were killed. In 2016, there were 454 cases of infiltration in which 45 militants were killed.

In January alone, eight civilians and six security personnel were killed and around 70 injured in ceasefire violations by Pakistan troops along Indo-pak border in Jammu region.

AP FILE The Centre, too, has sought to downplay claims about terror outfit Islamic State’s presence in Jammu and Kashmir, saying ’there is no physical infrastructure or manpower of the IS in the Valley’.