Rajnath Singh in J&K tomorrow, will review security scene

New Delhi: Union home minister Rajnath Singh is scheduled to visit Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday to review the overall security situation in the Valley, particularly after completion of local body elections.

During the visit, the home minister is also scheduled to meet political leaders from different political outfits.

Incidentally, two major political parties in the state — National Conference and Peoples Democratic Party — had boycotted the local elections. Terror groups operating out of Pakistan had also threatened to disrupt the poll process.

Mr Singh is also scheduled to have a series of meeting with top security officials in addition to holding deliberations with J&K governor Satya Pal Malik. One of the key issues, sources added, will be to review the security situation along the Indo-Pak border before the onset of winter season with focus on ceasefire violations by Pakistani forces and infiltration.

J&K has been under the Governor’s Rule ever since PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti had resigned as chief minister in June this year after BJP pulled out of the coalition government in the state.

The home minister is also expected to meet representatives of some civil society groups, another official said. Even though there has been no major terror strike in the Valley in the last few months but sporadic incidents have been reported particularly from South Kashmir and even regular ceasefire violations by Pakistan’s border guarding forces.