Border security tightened

CHAMBA, Sept 1: Industry Minister Kishori Lal in a press statement said that comprehensive arrangements have been made to tackle the situ...

CHAMBA, Sept 1: Industry Minister Kishori Lal in a press statement said that comprehensive arrangements have been made to tackle the situation arising out of the recent killings of the members of one community, in Kalaban, Satrundi and Sappa Choloo of Chamba district by Jammu and Kashmir terrorists. He said that para-military and police forces have been deployed at vulnerable points on the border adjoining Jammu and Kashmir. He further said that check posts have also been set up to keep vigil on movement of terrorists.

The minister said that village defence committees have been formed and officials of the SSB were imparting weapon training to the members. The minister said that this would build confidence among the people, who were feeling scared, following the gunning down of innocent people by terrorists.

He said that selection of SPOs had been made on the basis of physical fitness and the list was in its final stage of processing.

The minister said that they would be fully trained in espionage and handling of weapons to defend themselves and the area of their operation.

The minister further said that aerial and ground surveys would be conducted to know the geographical configuration of the area for proper deployment of forces.

He thanked Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, Home Minister Lal Krishan Adwani and Defence Minister George Fernandes, for providing funds and military forces on the request of Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal.

He said that police and military forces were not facing any financial crisis as charged by the state Congress chief Sat Mahajan. The minister added that modern weapons and wireless systems would be made available to the forces, adding that no compromise would be made with the security of the nation.

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Kishori Lal said that heavy deployment of forces, virtually sealing the border would not allow any terrorists from Jammu and Kashmir to enter the state.

He charged that Sat Mahajan was drawing political mileage out of the prevailing situation and asked him to refrain from issuing baseless statements.

He condemned the handling of the situation arising out of infiltration of terrorists into the district by the previous Congress government and added that no sooner had the news of the killings in Chamba received that Dhumal rushed to the site along with other party leaders, officials of the district administration and the police and monitored the work of shifting the dead and distributing the relief fund himself. He said that the chief minister and the BJP never took the issue lightly, as the Congress had done during its regime. Moreover, Kishori Lal added the chief minister stayed in Chamba to receive the Central team to apprise it of the situation.

Shanta Kumar MP, who was part of the Central team also visited the site and a comprehensive report was submitted to the prime minister, which was tabled in Parliament.

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He appealed to the people of Chamba district to maintain communal harmony at any cost so that the terrorists did not succeed in their motive of dividing Indians.

He expressed satisfaction over the law and order situation in the district.