Union Home Minister Amit Shah holds back to back meetings on Amarnath Yatra

Though Amit Shah routinely holds meetings to review the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir, Tuesday’s meetings are significant as there is an apprehension of terror groups attempting to disrupt the Amarnath Yatra, being held after a gap of two years. In fact, the Amarnath Yatra beginning on June 30 will be the first after the August 5, 2019, decisions that stripped the erstwhile state of its special status and bifurcation it into two Union Territories.

Sources said the first meeting focused on logistical arrangements for the Amarnath Yatra which included deliberations on infrastructure, weather, health, transport and telecommunication among other issues. The meeting was attended by Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla, Intelligence Bureau Director Arvind Kumar, and chief secretary and ACS (Home) of J&K administration among others. The second meeting, which dealt with security for the Amarnath Yatra, also had National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval and Indian Army chief General Manoj Pande apart from J&K director general of police (DGP) Dilbagh Singh.

“Instructions have been given to make adequate arrangements for all necessary facilities including movement, lodging, electricity, water, communication and health of Amarnath pilgrims. This is the first yatra after the COVID-19 pandemic and due to the high altitude, adequate arrangements will have to be made for yatris who have any health related problems,” added the MHA statement.

According to the MHA, instructions have been given that mobile towers should be increased for better communication and dissemination of any information on the travel route. Authorities have been directed to deploy machines to open the route immediately in case of landslides.

“Along with ensuring adequate number of oxygen cylinders, adequate medical beds at an altitude of more than 6,000 feet and deployment of ambulances and helicopters to deal with any emergency medical situation. All categories of transport services should be increased during the Amarnath Yatra for the convenience of passengers,” the MHA statement said.

Sources said the second meeting had among discussion points the continued killing of migrants and Kashmiri Pandits in the Valley.

Coming on the back of last week’s suspected terror attack on a passenger bus in Katra, the town abutting the holy shrine of Vaishno Devi, the meeting is learnt to have focused on providing unprecedented security for the Yatra. A bus carrying Vaishno Devi pilgrims last week caught fire leading to four deaths and more than 20 being injured.

Investigations have found that a sticky bomb may have been used to trigger a blast near the fuel tank of the bus by suspected operatives of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM).