Jammu: As thousands of pilgrims gear up for the annual pilgrimage to the 3,880-metre-high Amarnath cave shrine next month, police in Kathua have activated a multi-layered security grid, blending drone surveillance, highway domination and intensified ground-level checks along the yatra route.
At a security-review-cum-coordination meeting at district police lines Kathua on Monday, Senior Superintendent of Police Mohita Sharma directed officers to maintain maximum alertness and leave no room for complacency during the 57-day yatra which is starting on July 3.
The meeting brought together officers from the police, Army, BSF, CRPF and intelligence agencies to fine-tune a coordinated security strategy aimed at ensuring foolproof arrangements without compromising pilgrim convenience, a police spokesman said.
Giving a comprehensive presentation on the yatra’s security architecture including surveillance, convoy management, QRT deployment and emergency response preparedness, the SSP emphasised on heightened vigilance, seamless coordination, strict compliance with security protocols and a pilgrim-friendly environment.
She directed the supervisory officers to strengthen security arrangements through regular inspection of Langars, lodgement centres, and other yatra-related facilities, while maintaining close surveillance over suspicious movements and anti-national elements.
Officers present at the meeting were also instructed to intensify intelligence generation, promptly share actionable inputs, and maintain close coordination with intelligence agencies and other stakeholders to ensure a robust and proactive security grid, a spokesperson said.
He said directions were issued to ensure security along the Border National Highway (NHW) and Railway Track with special focus on round-the-clock domination, checking points, and area domination patrols.
Emphasis was also laid on completing census and tenant verification drives along NHW, at hotels and dhabas, and among factory workers to rule out the presence of any anti-national elements in the vicinity of the Yatra route, the spokesperson said.
The Kathua SSP emphasised strengthening surveillance and response capabilities by intensifying drone-based monitoring, installation of X-Ray machines, and deploying Dog Squads for anti-sabotage checks at vital installations, including Base Camp Lakhanpur and yatra locations, and ensuring the operational readiness of QRTs.
She also stressed seamless inter-agency coordination among police, CAPFs, civil administration, traffic police, health services, and other departments, with a focus on prompt information sharing, joint preparedness, and effective response to any exigency.
Officers were also directed to ensure effective management and security of yatra mini-convoys and to enhance CCTV coverage at all important Yatra locations with dedicated 24×7 monitoring.
Sharma reiterated the need for high operational readiness and coordinated efforts to ensure the safe, smooth, and successful conduct of the yatra.