Amarnath Yatra: J&K Police coordinating with Punjab to ensure foolproof security of devotees [details]

Amid repeated attempts by Pakistan-based terror handlers to drop weapons and explosives through drones to disrupt the forthcoming Amarnath Yatra, Jammu and Kashmir Police is coordinating with Punjab Police to ensure the safety and security of the devotees.

Not only in the border areas of Jammu province, but Pakistan has tried to drop arms through drones in Punjab also. Some terrorists arrested by the J&K Police have disclosed that they have collected arms from Punjab, which were dropped by drones originated from Pakistan.

"Kathua Police is coordinating with Pathankot Police in view of the coming Amarnath Yatra, and also to foil nefarious designs of the enemies sitting across the border", Director General of Police (DGP) J&K Police Dilbag Singh told media persons after reviewing security on highly sensitive Jammu-Pathankot national highway.

"I am also in constant touch with DGP Punjab to ensure better coordination and cooperation in maintaining security in the region", he said.

Security tightens on Jammu-Pathankot national highway

After repeated attempts of Pakistani drones to sneak into this side of the border, security has been strengthened on the highly-sensitive Jammu-Pathankot national highway.

On Friday DGP reviewed security on the highway from Satwari to Lakhanpur-the gateway of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. This highway passed through three districts namely Kathua, Samba, and Jammu.

"I reviewed the security of the highway along with SSPs of Jammu, Samba, and Kathua districts", the DGP said.

Jammu-Pathankot highway is a highly vulnerable track because it was earlier attacked by terrorists several times.

Out of a total length of 100 km, a nearly 44-km stretch on the Jammu-Pathankot highway runs almost parallel to the border with Pakistan in Kathua and Samba districts. Although, the Jammu-Pathankot national highway is never affected by shelling from across the border, this track is always vulnerable to terrorist attacks.

"Sticky bombs" a new threat: DGP

As "sticky bombs" emerged as a new threat ahead of Amarnath Yatra, police have redevised the strategy to face this challenge.

"Pakistan is adopting new methods to export terrorism in J&K. Sticky bombs are a new challenge but our forces are on high alert to face any situation during this year's Amarnath Yatra", the DGP said.

As reported earlier, the "sticky bombs", dropped by terrorists sitting across the border in Pakistan using drones, were recovered in the Samba sector of the Jammu region along the International Border on February 14, 2021.

The Jammu and Kashmir Police recovered an arms consignment consisting of an improvised explosive device (IED) with an in-built magnet that could be placed on any vehicle and exploded with the help of a timer or a remote.

On April 28 this year a major tragedy has been averted with the timely detection of a sticky and timer-fitted Improvised Explosive Device (IED) by Jammu Police at Sidhra Bypass on the outskirts of Jammu city.