Interstate security review meeting held to plug loopholes in international border in J&K

Jammu, July 11 (IANS) An interstate security review meeting was held in J&K’s Kathua district on Thursday with senior BSF and police officials discussing the latest situation on the international border (IB) and the hinterland.The meeting was held days after terrorists, who are believed to have infiltrated from across the IB, ambushed two army vehicles in Kathua on Monday, Five soldiers, including a JCO, were killed and 5 others injured when terrorists ambushed two army vehicles near Badnota village of Kathua district, 150 km from Kathua town.The meeting was attended by J&K DGP, R.R.Swain, his Punjab counterpart Gaurav Yadav and BSF’s Special Director General, Western Command, Y.B. Khurania, among others to review the security grid along the International Border and plug any loopholes.J&K’s ADGP, Law and Order, Vijay Kumar, his Punjab counterpart, Arpit Shukla and Inspector General rank BSF officers of Punjab and Jammu were also present at the meeting.The officials believe that terrorists had successfully infiltrated through the IB and managed to reach the dense forests of Kathua, connected to Basantgarh in Udhampur and Bhaderwah in Doda district. The terrorists have also used the route in the past when militancy was at its peak in the area over two decades ago. The area was later cleared of terrorist presence, but the revival of terror activities in the same area has led to serious security concerns.A massive search operation is going on for the third day on Thursday in the Kathua forest area where the terrorists are believed to have run into after two of them were probably injured, officials said.A search operation is also going on in the Ghati Bhagwah forests of Doda to trace the terrorists who exchanged fire with the security forces on Tuesday.A team of the NIA also visited the Kathua terror attack site to assist the local police. Around 50 people have been detained for questioning as intelligence reports suggest the terrorist ambush of two army vehicles in Badnota village was carried out by four terrorists accompanied by two locals.–IANSsq/vd