Jammu: Police on Friday conducted a search and cordon operation (CASO), an area domination exercise and sanitised a railway track in Jammu and Kashmir’s Samba district as part of heightened security measures during the ongoing Amarnath Yatra, officials said.
The 57-day pilgrimage to the cave shrine began July 3 via the 48-km Nunwan-Pahalgam route in Anantnag district and the steeper 14-km Baltal route in Ganderbal district, and will conclude on August 28.
“The operation was carried out in the sensitive areas of Nonath Khad and Ghagwal, including the adjoining railway track, under the supervision of the Additional Superintendent of Police, Samba,” they said.
Joint teams of the Special Operations Group (SOG), Samba, CRPF’s 93 Battalion and Government Railway Police (GRP) participated in the exercise aimed at preventing anti-national activities and strengthening the security grid in the district, officials said.
Security personnel conducted intensive searches of vulnerable locations and also carried out a CASO in an abandoned building in the area to rule out its possible use by anti-social or anti-national elements, they said.
The railway track passing through the area was thoroughly sanitised in coordination with GRP to ensure safety of rail operations, officials added.
Following the operation, police personnel deployed on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway for Amarnath Yatra security were briefed, and directed to maintain high level of vigilance, keep close watch on suspicious movement and ensure no unauthorised vehicle is parked along the highway, according to officials.
Police said such area domination exercises and search operations will continue in coordination with other security agencies to maintain a robust security grid and ensure peace in the district.