Security cover for Doda reduced

JAMMU, July 5: Within a month after the massacre of 25 members of two marriage parties at Chapnari, some more paramilitary forces have been ...

JAMMU, July 5: Within a month after the massacre of 25 members of two marriage parties at Chapnari, some more paramilitary forces have been withdrawn from the hilly Doda district of Jammu and Kashmir.

However, this time, the withdrawal has been ordered by the State Government for providing security cover to the Amarnath pilgrims going to South Kashmir Himalayas to see the holy ice-lingam, official sources said. One company of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), each from Doda and Kishtwar areas, have been shifted to Ramban for more than a month.

Significantly, this has come despite recent assurances by the Union Home Minister, L K Advani, to the contrary. Advani, who had owned moral responsibility for the Chapnari massacre during his visit to Doda, had assured deployment of more troops in the militancy-infested district. He had even announced to hold an inquiry into the withdrawal of security forces from the district in the recent past.

Moreover, the withdrawal of CRPF companies has been ordered ata time when a number of local pilgrimages are taking place during the month. Of them, the Sarthal Devi yatra has ended only yesterday, while the Chitu yatra from Chasuti (Machail) to Chitu in Pingu is scheduled to start within the next few days. The militants had looted the entire Chitu village in 1995. Sources said both the companies of CRPF were deployed at both the places and were actively involved in counter insurgency operations.

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