2AUGUST 2019 STATE OBSERVER NEWS JAMMU
JAMMU: The Jammu and Kashmir government on Friday issued an advisory in which it asked the tourists and pilgrims to curtail their pilgrimage to the Amarnath cave shrine ater sniper guns were found on the yatra route. In its advisory, the Jammu and Kashmir government directed the pilgrims to leave the state immediately after the Army revealed intelligence inputs confirming the possibility of a terror attack. In the order issued by the state Come Department, the government cited intelligence inputs of possible terror attacks as the reason for the move.Keeping in view the latest intelligence inputs of terror threats, with specific targeting of the Amarnath Yatra, and given the prevailing security situation in the Kashmir Valley, in the interest of the safety and security of the tourists and Amarnath Yatris, it is advised that they may curtail their stay in the Valley immediately and take necessary measures to return as soon as possible,” the order issued by the State Home Department said.Earlier in the day, the Army had said that it had information that Pakistan was planning to disrupt the annual pilgrimage.Chinar Corps Commander Lt General KJS Dhillon said in a joint press conference, “We had achieved major successes. An M-24 American sniper rifle with a telescope and a landmine with Pakistan ordnance factory markings have been recovered. The route of the Amarnath Yatra was sanitised for three days.”Director-General of Police (DGP) of Jammu and Kashmir Dilbag Singh, CRPF Additional Director General Zulfiqar Hasan, IGP Kashmir SP Pani and others were present during Dhillon’s press briefing.Dhillon said that security forces conducted an in-depth analysis in the Kashmir Valley and found out that 83 per cent of local people who picked up weapons had a record of stone-pelting.Chinar Corps Commander Lieutenant General said the neighbouring country was trying to disrupt peace in the Valley, but their attempts would not be tolerated.The type of Improvised Explosive Devices we are examining and the IED expert terrorists we are capturing and eliminating point to the fact that Pakistan is trying to disrupt peace in Kashmir. We assure ‘awaam’ of Kashmir that no one will be allowed to disrupt peace,” he said.But Dhillon insisted that the situation on the Line of Control (LoC) was under control and peaceful and infiltration bids by Pakistan were being successfully thwarted.Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah said the “unprecedented order” would “do nothing to dampen the sense of fear and foreboding” prevailing in the Valley at the moment, particularly since the Centre decided to deploy additional troops.
