Better security for military camps in Jammu and Kashmir

New Delhi: The Centre has decided to double the perimeter or outer cordon security at all important defence and paramilitary installation in Jammu and Kashmir. Sources said the Centre has also assured security forces of additional financial resources for the increased security cover. The decision has been taken in wake of the terror attack at an Army camp in Sunjwan area of Jammu early Saturday morning.
 
In addition, security forces have been directed to further intensify Operation All Out in the Valley to eliminate the active militants operating the State. These issues were discussed in detail during a high level meeting chaired by home minister Rajnath Singh in the capital on Monday. The meeting which was also attended by top security and intelligence officials from multiple agencies also reviewed the attack at the Sunjwan Army camp and a similar attempt at a CRPF installation in Srinagar on Monday morning. Sources said the home minster has given a clear directive to all security forces that the outer cordon security at all sensitive defence installations should be substantially enhanced and the deployment of personnel should be doubled and that they should be equipped with the latest arms and ammunitions available with the security forces.

The Centre has also assured the security forces that there would be no shortage of funds to mobilise these additional deployments at Army and para-military installations across J&K.

The home ministry has already sanctioned more than Rs 1,000 crore for increasing outer cordon security in sensitive areas of J&K and the Northeast, but this amount could be increased further specially after the recent attacks.

“The Government has categorically said that there would be no dearth of funds for increasing the outer security cover at defence camps,’’ a senior security official said on Monday.

 Apart from security the defence installations it was also decided at the meeting to further intensify operations against active militants in the Valley. The security forces have already launched Operation All Out in the region in which more than 200 militants have already been eliminated. The security forces are expected to increase their operations now against militants particularly in South Kashmir specially since the winter season is coming to an end and terror activities normally increase during the summers.

``It is suspected that more militants might have managed to infiltrate this time as winter was not very severe and most of the higher mountain passes did not register heavy snowfall. So we also need to be prepared for terror activities during the summer this year and become even more aggressive in counter-terror operations,’’the official added.