J&K panchayat polls: Mehbooba asks forces to be ‘more humane’
JAMMU: Amid a spike in border skirmishes and insurgency, Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti on Tuesday asked security apparatus to adopt a more humane approach while dealing with the situations.
She was chairing the unified high command meeting to review the security scenario across the state. Mehbooba’s meeting comes ahead of impending panchayat polls beginning February 15.
Sharing the development on her Twitter handle, she wrote: “Chaired the Unified High Command meeting related to security matters of the state”.
Deputy chief minister Nirmal Singh was also present in the meeting.
Addressing the meeting, Mehbooba stressed upon the security agencies to adopt a more humane approach while dealing with the situations and strictly ensure safety and security of people and their properties.
Mehbooba Mufti said the need of the hour is to engage meaningfully with the people, particularly youth, so that they are able to contribute to the society and its welfare. She stressed on increased community policing activities and enhanced outreach by the administration.
The meeting was also attended by chief secretary BB Vyas; Gocin-c Northern Command Lt Gen Devraj Anbu; principal secretary, home, RK Goyal; GOC of 9 Corps Lt Gen YVK Menon; GOC of 14 Corps Lt Gen SK Upadhaya; GOC of 15 Corps Lt Gen JS Sandhu; GOC of 16 Corps Lt Gen Saranjeet Singh; director general of police SP Vaid; principal secretary to chief minister, Rohit Kansal; ADSGP, AG Mir and Muneer Ahmad Khan; ADGP, CRPF; divisional commissioner, Kashmir, Baseer Ahmad Khan; inspectors general of BSF and CRPF, Jammu and Kashmir Frontiers and other senior officers.
The Unified Command is the apex decision-making body on security affairs in the state which has the representatives from the army, paramilitary forces, police and intelligence agencies and is headed by the chief minister.
The meeting also comes just a week after a Hizb-ul-mujahideen commander, in an audio-clip, threatened to pour acid into the eyes of those who will contest the upcoming Panchayat elections. The threat via video has sent security establishment into a tizzy.