CHAMBA, Aug 5: Former Chief Minister and Kangra MP Shanta Kumar, who led the special Central team to the spot of killings in Kalaban in Chamba, today admitted that Himachal police had shown laxity in keeping strict vigil on the Chamba J and K border following the pressure being built up on the militants in Jammu and Kashmir itself.``The police should have nabbed the channel in view of the information that the terrorists could possibly build up local contacts in the Himachal territory. It's unfortunate that the militants were successful in using local intelligence for creating terror in Tissa terrain '', he said while talking to media persons here.Shanta Kumar said the Central team would shortly submit its report to the high ups in Delhi, according to which the deployment of security forces would be planned.``On top priority, we must have a joint command on the border with the involvement of the authorities in the affected Doda and Chamba districts. The government must take immediate action to restore faith in security forces among the Tissa folks to avoid migration process, which may become imminent with lingering tension in the Churah valley.'' He said that he had already taken up the matter with the Himachal Chief Minister and would discuss it with the Central authorities.``We will shortly have village defence committees in maximum villages of Tissa block and would provide them with required weapons and all financial help to deal with the threatened situation. We cannot deploy police every where with the tough terrain around and the involvement of locals in the process is of utmost requirement'', Shanta Kumar commented.The Central team, meanwhile, proposes to have Army help to keep a strict surveillance of the border area.Himachal Industries Minister Kishori Lal who also went to the spot along with Shanta Kumar, said, ``There is no doubt that the state government had not been able to take necessary precautions, even after four killings were reported from Chamba J&K border near Kehar belt.'' He said the state government should have a special high ranking officer, not below the DIG level, based in Chamba district to check all the activities related to border area with Jammu and Kashmir.
