SRINAGAR: The Union home ministry at a review meeting on Tuesday decided to finalise the security arrangements for the 62-day annual pilgrimage, which is scheduled to start on July 1.
In the meeting it was decided that Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) will guard the Amarnath cave shrine instead of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), media reports said.
The meeting was chaired by home secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla and attended by chiefs of all central paramilitary forces, director of the Intelligence Bureau Tapan Deka, Research and Analysis Wing secretary Samant Goel and Jammu and Kashmir police officers, among others.
The CRPF, which would traditionally guard the shrine, will be deployed just below the stairs of the cave, Hindustan Times reported.
Reports said that the decision to put ITBP in charge of security has been taken based on several factors, including suggestions by the Amarnath Shrine Board and Jammu and Kashmir police. Moreover, the role of ITBP jawans in saving lives during last year’s flash floods at Amarnath shrine was also taken into consideration.
Besides, many CRPF units have been deployed in violence-hit Manipur and for the forthcoming panchayat elections in West Bengal.
So, ITBP and Border Security Force (BSF) troops will be deployed at six locations along the pilgrimage route, a task earlier rendered by the CRPF.
Meanwhile, the CRPF, will continue to secure the route in the Kashmir valley and will coordinate with other forces on security.
The forces have been directed to position dog and bomb squads near the cave shrine and ensure better coordination, to thwart any untoward incident.
Pertinently, Union home minister Amit Shah on June 9 told officials to make adequate security arrangements on the entire route and ensure smooth arrangements from the airport and railway station to the base camp. He also asked the authorities to ensure adequate stock of oxygen cylinders and their refilling as well as the availability of additional teams of doctors.
