Srinagar, April 8 (IANS) Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday emphasized completely eradicating terrorism from Jammu and Kashmir and ensuring zero infiltration from across the border during a high-level meeting of the Unified Headquarters at Raj Bhawan here, the highest security grid in the union territory. He was chairing the meeting on the security situation after reviewing the various developmental projects in the UT on Tuesday, Lt. Governor Manoj Sinha, Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan, Intelligence Bureau Director Tapan Deka, Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi, GoC Northern Command Lt. General Suchindra Kumar, deputy chief of Army staff, GoC 15 corps, GoC 16 corps, GoC 9 corps, Jammu and Kashmir chief secretary, J&K DGP, chiefs of paramilitary forces, including BSF and CRPF, among others attended the meeting.

“The Home Minister is reviewing the security scenario, law and order situation and other security relates aspects in J&K at the unified headquarters meeting today,” officials said. Sources said the Union Home Minister directed the unified headquarters to act in complete synergy to ensure zero infiltration from across the border and zero tolerance for terrorists in the hinterland. While expressing satisfaction at the operational efficiency of the forces, Amit Shah emphasized eradicating terrorism from J&K, with special mention of doing so in the Jammu division, the sources added. The Home Minister also reviewed the preparedness for the coming summer months when Amarnath Yatra takes place and tourism reaches its peak in the UT.

HM Amit Shah arrived in Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday for a three-day visit. Earlier in the day, he reviewed the progress of various developmental projects in the UT in a high-level meeting here attended by L-G Manoj Sinha, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Chief Secretary Atul Dulloo, additional chief secretaries and administrative secretaries of various departments. Before the meeting, Amit Shah had a one-on-one meeting with the chief minister. The home minister is also likely to meet some delegations before he departs for Delhi later in the day. He posted on X that three more organisations have left the separatist Hurriyat Conference and declared their allegiance to the Constitution of India.

He said this is the growing endorsement of the Prime Minister’s vision about the Naya Kashmir, where violence and hatred would have no place. After his arrival here on Monday, Amit Shah went to the Humhama area near the Srinagar International Airport to meet the family of martyred J&K Police Dy SP, Humayun Bhat. The home minister offered his condolences to the family. He stayed for nearly 20 minutes with Ghulam Hassan Bhat, retired IGP, father of Humayun. He also offered condolences to Fatima, wife of the martyred police officer and blessed the 20-month old child of the officer.

L-G Manoj Sinha and CM Omar Abdullah accompanied the home minister during his visit to the martyr’s family. Humayun was killed on September 13, 2003, while fighting a group of terrorists in the forests of Kokernag Tehsil in the Anantnag district. Known for his professionalism and bravery, the officer was posthumously awarded the Kirti Chakra. During his visit to Jammu, Amit Shah met the families of four policemen martyred while fighting terrorists in the Kathua district. He gave compassionate appointment orders to the next of kin of the martyrs.

HM Shah said during his interaction in Jammu that terrorism was down but not yet fully out in J&K and assured that the situation would soon be brought to complete normalcy. He had a closed-door meeting with members of the BJP and RSS at the Jammu residence of Sunil Sharma, the Leader of Opposition in the J&K Assembly. During his visit to the border outpost of the BSF in Kathua on Monday, the home minister praised the BSF for being an elite border sentinel force of the country. He told the deployed BSF jawans that the country holds the force in high esteem because of their commitment to duty and protection of the country’s frontiers. “You discharge duties round the year, 24 hours a day and in torrential rain, extreme cold or 45-degree heat. BSF has a glorious past, and you genuinely deserve the prestige the force has earned among the countrymen,” he told the BSF officers and jawans.

/IANS