New Delhi: Stung by the rise in terror incidents in Jammu as reflected in the casualties in ambushes and encounters, the government directed the Army and the security agencies to strongly implement the SOPs for operations, use more technology, and called for well-calibrated action against terrorists, ThePrint has learnt.
Sources in the defence and security establishment told ThePrint that the directions came during a high-profile review meeting convened Wednesday by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.
National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval, Army chief General Upendra Dwivedi, Intelligence Bureau chief Tapan Deka, besides senior officers, attended the nearly an hour and half meeting held in the Ops Room of the Director General of Military Operations.
The defence and security establishment briefed both the minister and the NSA at the meeting, the sources said.
The government has taken note of the series of setbacks and rising casualties in operations, the latest being Captain Deepak Singh who was killed Tuesday in an encounter in Doda, they added .
The sources said that the security and the defence establishment was clearly told that the terrorists cannot be allowed to operate at their “whims and fancies”.
In November, ThePrint was the first to report that there was a clear trend emerging in the Jammu sector wherein soldiers were walking into ambushes set up by the terrorists.
The sources said that the security forces were told to use more technology to which the Army chief is understood to have said that drones are not able to operate in the thick jungles and that boots on the ground are needed.
The strict adherence to standard operating procedures and the need for calibrated and coordinated action was also stressed upon, according to the sources.
Security personnel were suggested to avoid rushing to finish off an operation. “There is no need to rush in trying to finish an operation. Take time, don’t take unnecessary risks,” one of the sources said.
It was pointed out that the current crop of terrorists were well armed and far better trained than the usual set who were active in the past.
In July, ThePrint reported that about 40 well-trained terrorists, mostly from Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), have infiltrated into the Jammu region over the last one year, mostly from the International Border manned by the Border Security Force (BSF).
Earlier this month, the government had removed BSF chief Nitin Agrawal and Special DG in-charge of the Western Borders Y.B. Khurania and repatriated to the state cadre.
The deaths of the security personnel has come as a severe setback to the government. In July, Captain Brijesh Thapa was killed in an encounter with terrorists in Doda. Prior to this, two Captains, including one from 9 Para SF, were killed in Rajouri in November last year.
In September, a Colonel, a Major and a Deputy Superintendent of Police of the J&K Police were killed in an encounter with terrorists in South Kashmir’s Anantnag district.
(Edited by Tony Rai)
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