Security forces gear up for Assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir

Security forces gear up for Assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir

News Agency of Kashmir 10/19/2008 7:38:26 PM

Jammu, Oct 19(NAK): Keeping in view the threat of militants to sabotage the coming Assembly elections in the state of Jammu & Kashmir, the security forces have pulled up their socks and beefed up the security in advance.

All the security agencies including police, army, CRPF and BSF have strengthened security apparatus in the respected areas of their domination.

Police have set up the security control rooms in almost all the Tehsil and district headquarters and the cops are asked to remain extra vigilant while performing their duties. Senior officers to the rank of Dy.SPs have been appointed as sector officers while the close circuit cameras have been installed to check the movement of subversive elements at the crowded places.

Army and BSF on the other hand has been concentrating to plug the infiltration completely on the LoC as well as IB and anti insurgency operations are being carried out in their respective area of domination in routine. Modern electronic gadgets and surveillance devises are installed near the fence both on the LoC and IB whereas the repair works of the damaged fence wherever required is being carried out by security forces, sources told NAK.

The CRPF which is deployed in valley have also geared up its jawans and regular anti-insurgency operations are being carried out by the CRPF in valley. It was reliably learnt that security forces have been asked to maintain restraint while dealing with law and order problems if any.

The security forces will leave no stone unturned to conduct the elections in the state in free and fair manner.

The psychological operations are being carried out by the security forces in Doda and Kishtwar districts so as to remove any kind of fear from the minds of the people of these districts. “The role of the army is to provide sense of security, conducive environment and facilities to civil administration so as to conduct the elections in very cordial atmosphere”, a senior army officer whishing anonymity said.

The militants, sources said, on the other hand would plan to carry deadliest attacks at the crowded and heavily guarded places besides triggering IEDs and Car blasts. The main objective of the militants is to stop the masses from participation in Assembly elections and to trigger large scale violence in the trouble torn state of Jammu & Kashmir.

Going by the previous record of militancy related activities in the state of Jammu & Kashmir, more than 1200 grenade attacks were carried to stall the election rallies in last two Assembly elections. However, during 2002 much publicized free and fair elections about 437 grenades attacks took place in the state while in 1996 when the situation in trouble ton state was grim, about 792 similar attacks were reported to have taken place.

Defence analyst Lt Colonel SD Goswami when contacted confirmed that in the year 1996 during Assembly elections, 792 grenade attacks took place in the state while in 2002, 437 grenades were hurled by the militants causing huge damage.

Sources in Home department told NAK that the candidates who would be contesting elections would be provided adequate security besides bullet proof vehicles during the poll campaign.

It’s pertinent to mention here that several ministers and MLAs besides the block and district level workers were killed by the suspected militants in the state during the eighteen years long turmoil in the state.(NAK)