Jammu: A day after a fierce gunfight between two newly infiltrated Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) suicide bombers and security forces here, a thick security blanket has been thrown across Jammu and Kashmir on the eve of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Palli Panchayat in Samba district on Sunday, officials said.
A red alert has been sounded in the Union Territory following the encounter near Sunjwan army camp on the outskirts of the city which averted a major attack with the gunning down of both the militants armed with suicide vests and large quantity of arms and ammunition.
A Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) officer was also killed and nine others including two policemen were injured as security forces engaged the militants after they attacked a bus carrying the paramilitary personnel in the early hours of Friday.
Director General of Police (DGP) Dilbag Singh had said the two militants were part of a suicide squad of Pakistan-based JeM and their infiltration could be a “big conspiracy” to sabotage the prime minister’s visit to Jammu and Kashmir on the occasion of National Panchayati Raj day on Sunday.
Palli panchayat, 17 kms from Jammu city, was virtually sealed with local police and paramilitary personnel including Border Security Force (BSF) and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) deployed in strength to keep a strict vigil, the officials said.
They said the venue, which is just three kilometres from the Jammu-Pathankot highway, has been made out of bounds for the general public as part of the security arrangements for the Prime Minister’s public rally his first after the abrogation of special status to J&K under Article 370 and the bifurcation of the erstwhile state in August 2019.
Arrangements for over one lakh people including over 30,000 panchayat members have been made at the venue of the public meeting, the officials said.
“The encounter took place two days ahead of the prime minister’s visit. It is part of a big conspiracy to disturb the peaceful atmosphere of Jammu and it could be a big conspiracy to sabotage the visit,” the DGP had said at the end of the gunfight, adding “it is good that we got timely inputs and the operation was concluded successfully.”
On Saturday, the joint security parties were seen patrolling the entire stretch from Bari Brahmana along the highway to Palli chowk which was also decorated with large hoarding to welcome the Prime Minister and also announce various projects and industrial investments to be inaugurated by him.
Additional joint security check points with reinforcements have come up at various places leading to the venue of the function besides other places including district headquarters and vital installations to scuttle any attempt by the militants to carry out any attack, the officials said.
The commuters on highways and peripheral roads are also being thoroughly checked and frisked, the officials said, adding the border security grid and highway grid have also been strengthened in the wake of Friday’s encounter in Jammu city.
In additional to the multi-tier security arrangements, the officials said some high-end surveillance equipment have been inducted into security setup to ensure fool proof security.
Traffic police Jammu has already issued an advisory in connection with the prime minister’s visit, announcing certain restrictions and route plans for the public to reach the venue.
Heavy load carriers including wheat cutting machines and load carriers were asked not to play on April 24 on the national highway (Jammu-Pathankot) as well as ring roads and adjoining areas of the venue, the advisory said.
The traffic police also declared no parking zones’ a certain stretch of the highway near Bari Brahmana and Palli to Ratnal Chowk.
The prime minister is expected to launch industrial investments worth Rs 70,000 crore and inaugurate and lay foundation of some developmental projects including two power projects during his first public meeting in Jammu region after August 2019 development.
However, Modi had earlier celebrated Diwali with Army jawans on October 27, 2019 in Rajouri and on November 3, 2021 in Nowshera sector in Jammu division. PTI

Press Trust of India