Security beefed up in Jammu ahead of PM’s April 24 visit

 

‘Night patrolling in areas close to border, close watch on suspects

 

Jammu, Apr 21 : Security has been beefed up in Jammu and its adjoining district ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Samba district on April 24, (Sunday), on the occasion of Panchayati Raj Diwas.

 

Officials told news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that a five-layer security deployment put in place for Prime Minister and Other VIPs which includes personnel’s from elite Special Protection Group (SPG), Central Armed Police Force, Jammu Kashmir Police’s Crisis Response Team, Special Operation Group and JK Police officials.

 

“Jammu and Kashmir UT administration put elaborate arrangements for crowd management at border Village Palli, where PM schedule to address huge public gathering, mainly drawing from Jammu, Kathua and Samba district by BJP,” the officials said, adding that “Intelligence agencies also sounded an alert of possible ‘mischief’ from the borders.”

 

Officials said that the possibility of problems from miscreants across the border remains high.

 

Reacting to the alert, J&K police have now moved their Crisis Response Team to the border areas to patrol along with the Border Security Force.

 

The J&K police have stepped up security along the borders in view of the possible militant threat. The security forces have been readied to thwart any attempt from the enemy ahead of the PM’s visit this weekend.

 

According to information accessed, the J&K police are patrolling along the border before sunrise, with the BSF set to restrict any movement there.

 

It is noteworthy that the security forces had earlier informed that they have stepped up the security in the UT amid increased terrorist activity in the region.

 

Meanwhile, five persons have been detained from a house in Marheen area in Kathua district ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to adjoining Samba district.

 

The action was taken after the police received an intelligence input and launched a search operation in the area.

 

A police official said no militancy angle has come to light and the suspects had been detained only on suspicion of having being involved in illegal activities.

 

They are being questioned in the Rajbagh police station. It has been learnt that two of the five were later sent to Jammu for questioning.

 

Four suspects belong to Kathua while one is from Katra. Their mobile phones were also seized.

 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is all set to visit Jammu on April 24, 2022, to address the country on the occasion of ‘Panchayati Raj Diwas’.

 

It is pertinent to note that this would be PM Modi’s first visit to the UT since the abrogation of Article 370.

 

PM Modi is also scheduled to participate in the ground-breaking ceremony of multi-crore industrial projects.

 

During his visit, the PM will also interact with members of the Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs), launch industrial investments, and inaugurate or lay the foundation stones of various development projects—(KNO)