With improvement in the overall security situation in Kashmir following the five-month-long unrest that crippled the normal life, topmost security officials on Tuesday met here to devise counter-insurgency strategy for the winter situation. The winter season assumes significance as most of the active militants descend down from the forested areas and mingle amongst the local population for survival.
A spokesman of the Ministry of Defence said that Core Group of the security grid in Kashmir met at the headquarters of the XV Corps “to review the overall situation and to draw out the security strategy for the winters.” The Core Group is jointly led by XV Corps commander lt Gen JS Sandhu and State Police chief K Rajender Kumar. The topmost provincial level officers of the police, paramilitaries, intelligence agencies, civil administration and Army are the members of the elite group.
This is the first core group meeting head by lt Gen Sandhu who took over the charge last month while it could be the last meeting of the DGP who is serving on a three-month extension. The new DGP is likely to be nominated in the upcoming Cabinet meeting slated to be held in Jammu on December 29.
Sources said that the meeting deliberated upon various aspects of the security situation in Kashmir valley in the backdrop of recent unrest that threw the normal life out of gear for around five months. The unrest triggered by the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani on July 8 was quelled by a sustained campaign against separatists and street protesters.
Sources said that the core group decided to maintain pressure on the militant groups who have increased the cadre base during the past months especially in south Kashmir.
They said that the security forces were asked to continue coordinated efforts against the militants who descend to populated areas during the winter months after abandoning their summer hideouts in forested areas.
“The members (of the core group) deliberated upon various issues to evolve a comprehensive strategy to respond to the various external and internal security challenges. Plans for maintaining a robust counter infiltration and counter terrorism grid were discussed,” the spokesman said.