Amit Shah likely to visit J&K on April 7-8; ‘not linked to Kathua encounter,’ says Omar Abdullah

Amit Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah is likely to visit Jammu and Kashmir next week even as a combing operation is underway in the Kathua district to track down three terrorists who escaped after a breief encounter with security forces.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, however, said Union that Shah's visit was not linked to the anti-militancy operation in Kathua. The programme was finalised before the operation, he added.

"Do not link the Union minister's visit to the Kathua (operation). His programme was finalised before the Kathua encounter. It is a coincidence that his visit comes around the time of the Kathua operation," the chief minister told reporters after launching a free bus service for women at SKICC.

Shah may visit Jammu and Kashmir on April 7-8 to review the security situation and counter-insurgency operations in the Union Territory, pti quoted its sources in its report.

"While the security (situation) will be reviewed, he (Shah) has planned a public meeting in Jammu as well … Then, in Srinagar, he (Shah) will review the development work and inaugurate some projects," he added.

The joint operation of the Special Operations Group (SOG), army and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), entered its tenth day on Tuesday.

On March 27, two terrorists were killed in an encounter in the district's Saniyal area in which four police personnel also lost their lives.

The terrorists were believed to be from a group that had its first face-off with the security forces in the Nursery area near the International Border on March 23. All of the terrorists had managed to escape.

Four days later, security forces engaged them in an encounter in a forest area of the Saniyal belt and eliminated two terrorists. The rest managed to flee.

During this exchange of fire, four policemen were also killed and three injured.

With the terrorists changing their locations in the jungle, the security forces have launched a multi-agency operation to track them down.

When Abdullah was asked if Shah's visit was a sign of an improved relationship between the Union Territory government and the Centre, he said this was not the first time that the home minister was visiting Jammu and Kashmir.

"He (Shah) has come here before and he will continue to come. When I was the chief minister of the (erstwhile) state, home ministers used to come here then as well. P Chidambaram and (Sushil Kumar) Shinde also came, so it is not a big deal," he said.

"These visits should continue, our talks with him (Shah) are on. He has tried to help Jammu and Kashmir in the last few months. Last year, we asked for some more money and we got that money. This time also, we are hoping that the Centre will provide whatever help Jammu and Kashmir needs," Abdullah said.