5000 additional CAPF men deployed in Kashmir for more security measures, Intense frisking in Srinagar

5000 additional CAPF men deployed in Kashmir for more security measures, Intense frisking in Srinagar

Day after the targeted killing of a civilian in old Srinagar, the city witnessed more security measures on Tuesday which included intensified frisking.

Muhammad Ibrahim Khan, a salesman was shot dead by terrorists in the Bohrikadal area of old Srinagar on Monday evening from point-blank range. A resident of Bandipora district of north Kashmir, Khan was employed as a salesman in a shop owned by a minority community popular businessman in the area.

Since Tuesday morning, joint parties of police and paramilitary CRPF were witnessed carrying out random searches and frisking at several places in Srinagar. The security personnel conducted checking of vehicles and pedestrians at different places, including Lal Chowk, Jehangir Chowk, TRC, Batamaloo, Barzulla, Parimpora, and Bemina.

The joint contingents of forces have also erected extra barricades to monitor the movement of traffic. The increase in the security vigil come after two recent targeted killings by terrorists in the city, officials said.

Vehicles on the way to uptown and outskirts on Airport road were also being searched. Passengers were being frisked and vehicles searched before allowing to move towards their respective destinations. Auto rickshaws and bikers were also being searched by the security forces.

“Police and paramilitary forces have increased vigil across Kashmir particularly in Srinagar near important buildings, major roads, entry and exit points of districts and towns and critical military installations to thwart and intercept the movement of terrorists,” a senior security forces official said.

“We have directed to remain on alert and strengthen and augment the intelligence and security grids in their respective areas for the security of the people,” he said. “The officials of the police and the paramilitary have been directed to maintain close surveillance and track of such elements and bring them to justice as quickly as possible through coordinated measures.”

It needs to be mentioned here that makeshift security bunkers nowadays are making a comeback and more paramilitary personnel are being deployed following the spate of civilian killings by terrorists in Kashmir over the past few weeks. Security bunkers manned by the central armed paramilitary forces (CAPF) are being set up in many areas of the city. “These makeshift bunkers are measures being taken for more Area Domination. It is being done to cut the free movement of terrorists” the officer said.

Amid a spike in targeted civilian killings by terrorists in Kashmir, over 5,500 additional Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) personnel have been sent to the Valley, officials said on Tuesday. The fresh companies were moved as part of the strategy of “enhancing security and visibility” of the forces on the ground following the killings. The Union Home Ministry had last month directed that about 55 fresh companies of the central forces should be deployed in Kashmir. The last five companies of this lot will be in position by next week, they said.

While 25 of these companies are drawn from the CRPF, the rest belong to the BSF. A CAPF company has about 100 personnel. The CRPF is extensively deployed in J&K with around 60 battalions, comprising about 1,000 personnel each, based in Kashmir as regular deployment in Srinagar and other parts of the Valley.

The BSF guards the India-Pakistan Line of Control (LoC) under the operational command of the Army and some of its units are deployed for law and order duties in the towns too. New bunkers have emerged in the Valley as people were being frisked and vehicles scanned by the central and state police personnel.

At least 14 people have lost their lives since October 1 in shootings that targeted civilians. Five of those killed re laborers from Bihar, while three, including two teachers, belonging to minority communities in the Valley.

Officials say 112 terrorists have been killed and 135 apprehended in the UT this year by the CRPF and other security forces during joint operations.

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