Amit Shah Urges End to Terrorism, Reviews Security in Jammu & Kashmir

Hemani Kandhari 

April 8, 2025 :

Union Home Minister Amit Shah has directed security agencies in Jammu and Kashmir to work towards eliminating terrorism completely and preventing any infiltration across the borders. He was speaking during a high-level security review meeting of the Unified Headquarters held at Raj Bhawan in Srinagar on Tuesday.

The meeting brought together key officials including Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan, Director of Intelligence Bureau Tapan Deka, Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi, senior army commanders from Northern, 15, 16, and 9 Corps, and top officers from paramilitary forces like BSF and CRPF, as well as the J&K Police.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who had earlier taken part in a separate meeting on developmental projects chaired by Shah, was notably not invited to this security meeting.

During the session, Shah assessed the overall security situation, law and order, and cross-border threats. He emphasized the need for coordinated efforts among all security forces to ensure that infiltration is stopped entirely and terrorism is rooted out from both Kashmir and Jammu regions.

Sources revealed that the Home Minister expressed satisfaction with the current performance of security forces but insisted on pushing further to establish complete peace, particularly in the Jammu division. He also reviewed arrangements for the annual Amarnath Yatra and preparations for the busy summer tourist season.

Shah is currently on a three-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir. Earlier in the day, he led a meeting focused on reviewing the progress of development projects in the Union Territory. This meeting was attended by LG Manoj Sinha, CM Omar Abdullah, Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo, and senior bureaucrats from various departments. Before this, Shah held a private discussion with the Chief Minister.

Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Shah shared that three more factions have distanced themselves from the separatist Hurriyat Conference and embraced the Indian Constitution. He said this was a positive sign of support for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a peaceful and progressive “New Kashmir.”

On Monday, the Home Minister visited the family of Deputy Superintendent of Police Humayun Bhat, who was killed in a gunfight with terrorists in the Kokernag area of Anantnag on September 13, 2023. Shah spent time with the family at their home near Srinagar Airport, offering condolences to his father, retired IGP Ghulam Hassan Bhat, his wife Fatima, and blessing the officer’s young son. Both LG Sinha and CM Abdullah accompanied him.

Dy SP Humayun Bhat was posthumously honored with the Kirti Chakra for his bravery during the operation in which he lost his life.

While in Jammu, Shah met with the families of four policemen who were martyred in action in Kathua. He handed over official appointment letters to their relatives, offering jobs as part of a compassionate appointment policy.

Amit Shah also met with the family of late BJP leader and former Nagrota MLA Devender Singh Rana. He offered condolences and acknowledged Rana’s contributions to public service and the party, remembering him as a dedicated leader who worked tirelessly for the welfare of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

Shah also held a private meeting with BJP and RSS leaders at the residence of Sunil Sharma, the Leader of the Opposition in the J&K Assembly.

The Home Minister later paid a visit to a BSF border post in Kathua, where he lauded the dedication and service of the Border Security Force. He appreciated the challenges BSF personnel face while performing their duties in extreme weather conditions throughout the year and praised their crucial role in protecting the country's borders.

On the first day of his Jammu and Kashmir tour, Shah also visited the BJP headquarters in Jammu, where he interacted with party leaders and workers.

He noted that while terrorism in the region has significantly declined, it has not been completely eradicated. He expressed confidence that the situation would soon return to complete normalcy.