Home Secy directs high security at all tourist destinations to prevent Pahalgam-like attack
Anti-terror operations in upper reaches to be intensified
JKP’s financial requirements figure at high-level meet
Jammu, Mar 24: As tourist season is about to set off in Jammu and Kashmir due to improvement in weather conditions and end of examinations countrywide in next few days, Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan today stressed for heightened security arrangements at all tourist spots in the Union Territory to ensure that the terrorists don’t manage to repeat April 22, 2025-like Pahalgam terror attack.City & Local Guides
The Home Secretary reviewed all aspects of security situation in Jammu and Kashmir but safety and security of tourists at all tourism places across the Union Territory dominated over an hour long review meeting this afternoon which Govind Mohan chaired through video conferencing, official sources told the Excelsior.
Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, Home Secretary Chandraker Bharti, Director General of Police (DGP) Nalin Prabhat and other senior police and Intelligence officers from Jammu and Kashmir joined the meeting through video conferencing.
“All major issues of security pertaining to Jammu and Kashmir figured at the meeting. The Union Home Secretary is understood to have stressed for fool-proof security arrangements at tourist destinations in Jammu and Kashmir to prevent Pahalgam like terror attack which adversely affected tourist season last year,” the sources said.
Authorities here expect a boom in tourism from April with onset of tourist season as weather has opened up and examination season has either ended or is about to end in most parts of the country. However, any terror attack can have impact on the tourist season, the sources said, adding a strategy has been devised to protect tourists and the tourist spots across the Union Territory.
On April 22, 2025, the Pakistani terrorists struck at Pahalgam killing 26 civilians including 25 tourists and a local guide. This was followed by Operation Sindoor by the Indian Armed Forces from May 7-11 in which terror infrastructure in Pakistan and PoJK was smashed and hundreds of terrorists were killed.
“Security of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Ji pilgrims remained one of the major priorities. However, security arrangements for annual Shri Amarnath Ji pilgrims in South Kashmir Himalayas, whose dates are yet to be finalized by Shri Amarnath Ji Shrine Board, will be reviewed at a later date,” the sources said.
Besides, they added, ongoing anti-terror operations in mountains, forests and upper reaches of different districts in the Jammu region also came up for review during the meeting. Senior police and Intelligence officers briefed the Union Home Secretary on the search operations in different parts to eliminate the terrorists.
Four foreign terrorists of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) outfit including their commander Saifullah were eliminated last month by security forces in upper reaches of Chatroo in Kishtwar district, which was a big success in the anti-terror operations.
The operations are likely to be intensified with melting of snow in upper reaches.
The Union Home Ministry wants security agencies to go all out against the hiding terrorists before they can strike, they added.
Besides Army, paramilitary forces and JKP, the specially-trained Special Operations Group (SOG) personnel have also been deployed in mountains, forests and upper reaches where the terrorists are suspected to be hiding. The SOG personnel have been well trained in carrying out anti-terror operations in extreme difficult areas and hostile weather.
Sources said financial status of Jammu and Kashmir Police (JKP) also came up for comprehensive review at the high-level meeting as current financial year of 2025-26 is ending in next few days. Requirements of the JKP for next fiscal of 2026-27 were discussed in length, they said noting that budget of the police is now part of the Union Home Ministry.
The JKP is now well modernized force equipped with sophisticated weapons and equipments to tackle terrorists and all kind of crimes. However, the modernization remained an ongoing process and certain more measures are being taken in this regard, the sources said.—(Daily Excelsior)