Security forces given free hand to neutralise terror ecosystem: J&K L-G

Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha chairs a high-level security meeting, at PCR in Srinagar on February 12, 2025
| Photo Credit: ANI

Days ahead of the anniversary of the Pulwama attack, the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir Manoj Sinha on Wednesday (February 12, 2025) chaired a security meeting in Srinagar, and said the J&K Police and security forces had been given a “free hand to neutralise the terror ecosystem operating in the shadows”. 

“You (the security agencies) must follow a zero tolerance policy to tackle terrorism. I have given J&K Police and Security Forces a free hand to neutralise the terror ecosystem operating in the shadows. Those supporting and financing terrorism will have to pay a very heavy price,” Mr. Sinha told the top officials of security wings in J&K.

Also read | J&K terror attacks: ‘Not an issue of security lapses, security forces giving befitting reply,’ says Rajnath Singh

The L-G chaired a high-level meeting at the unified headquarters in Srinagar to review the security scenario in the Kashmir division. The meeting was attended by the Director General of Police (DGP), J&K, Nalin Prabhat; Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), Headquarters, M.K. Sinha; ADGP, Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Nitish Kumar; Principal Secretary to the Lieutenant Governor, Mandeep K. Bhandari; Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kashmir, Vidhi Kumar Birdi; IGP, Crime, Sunil Gupta; IGP, Security, Sujit Kumar; and IGP, Railways, Vivek Gupta, among others.

The meeting was held two days ahead of the Pulwama attack that left 40 security personnel dead on February 14, 2019 in south Kashmir. The incident brought India-Pakistan relations to the brink. 

The meeting also came a day after two soldiers were killed in an improvised explosive device (IED) blast close to the Line of Control in Jammu’s Akhnoor sector. 

Officials said the DGP briefed the chair on the security scenario in the Valley, and presented a roadmap to counter various security challenges, including counter insurgency; law and order; protection of minorities; and recruitment of terrorists at the zonal, range, and district levels.

Underscoring the need “to work in close synergy with each other and intensify the efforts to crush terrorism and those aiding and abetting terrorists”, Mr. Sinha said: “Under the leadership of Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Jammu and Kashmir is witnessing an era of peace, progress and prosperity. I have full faith in your valour, [and] effective, focused measures and better institutional arrangements to make Jammu Kashmir terror-free. Improved intelligence generation, coordination, and precision in anti-terror operations are vital to meet the future security challenges.”

The L-G said a 360-degree approach against terrorism was critical to enhance capability and performance in all dimensions of security challenges. Officials said the L-G asked police officials to “strictly follow the policy of property attachment in terror and narco-terror cases”.

Mr. Sinha directed officials to devise a result-oriented strategy to neutralise foreign terrorists active in the Kashmir Valley. He called for systematic attention to the terror ecosystem providing support to adversarial forces and terrorists.

The L-G discussed the challenges of “disinformation and propaganda”. “Strict action must be taken against the elements exploiting cyber space to carry out their disruptive activities and disinformation campaign. We must aggressively counter fundamentalist and extremist ideas and take action as per the law,” Mr. Sinha said.

Meanwhile, the Army on Wednesday paid tributes to the deceased Captain Karamjit Singh Bakshi and Naik Mukesh Singh Manhas. A ceremony was held at the Indian Air Force station, Jammu, led by Lieutenant General Navin Sachdeva, General Officer Commanding, White Knight Corps.

A ceasefire violation was reported along the Line of Control in Poonch’s Balakote on Wednesday evening. Officials said Pakistani troops “resorted to unprovoked firing, prompting the Indian Army to give a befitting response”. There have been no immediate reports of casualties or damage on the Indian side.