Defence Minister Rajnath Singh convened a critical meeting on Wednesday to address the rising terror-related incidents in Jammu and Kashmir. The meeting, held at South Block, was attended by top officials, including National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Defence Secretary Giridhar Aramane, Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi, Director General of Military Operations Lieutenant General Pratik Sharma, and other heads of security agencies.
This high-level meeting comes just a day before Independence Day, with security forces across Jammu and Kashmir placed on high alert to ensure public safety.
The meeting follows a recent increase in terror attacks in the region, including a gunfight in Anantnag on August 10, where two soldiers, Havildar Dipak Kumar Yadav and Lance Naik Praveen Sharma, along with a civilian, were killed during a joint operation by the Indian Army, Jammu and Kashmir Police, and CRPF.
In recent months, Jammu has experienced a surge in terror incidents, such as the attack on an army convoy in Kathua and clashes in Doda and Udhampur. The Ministry of Home Affairs reported to the Lok Sabha that up to July 21, 2024, 28 people, including civilians and security personnel, had lost their lives in 11 terror-related incidents and 24 counter-terror operations.
Additionally, last month, Indian Army troops thwarted an attack by the Pakistan Border Action Team (BAT) along the Line of Control (LoC) in the Machchal sector of Kupwara district, resulting in the death of one Pakistani intruder and an Indian Army soldier, with four others, including a major, injured.
