Home minister Amit Shah held a meeting with National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba on Sunday, days after security was reinforced across the Kashmir valley after a terror threat, PTI reported. Officials said the meeting lasted for around an hour.
The Jammu and Kashmir administration had cut short the Amarnath Yatra on Friday and asked pilgrims and vacationers to leave the state after the terror threat.Thousands of tourists and Amarnath pilgrims left Kashmir in the last two days. Tourism department officials said around 95% of the estimated 20,000 tourists, both Indian and foreign, and pilgrims have left Kashmir by Friday.
Around 25,000-30,000 troops have already been deployed in the state over the last four-five days. The state has witnessed panic buying of utilities such as medicines, fuel and groceries.
Peoples Democratic Party chief Mehbooba Mufti said an all-party meeting will be held at her residence on Sunday evening amid the tension in the state.
Meanwhile, the Indian Army had thwarted an attempt by a group of Pakistan’s Border Action Team (BAT) and terrorists to attack an Army post along the Line of Control (LoC). The army said four people, including Pakistani commandos, were killed.
The Army said that “in the last 36 hours Pakistan has desperately tried to revive terrorism and push terrorists” into Kashmir.
Jammu and Kashmir governor Satya Pal Malik on Tuesday asked people not to pay any heed to rumours of an impending major decision on the special status of the state. The governor’s comment came after political parties in the state accused the administration of creating disquiet and demanded that the Centre clear the air.
There has been a buzz in the state’s political circles that the revocation of Article 35A that gives special privileges to permanent residents of the state is imminent.
