Srinagar: Less than a week after moving 10,000 troops of paramilitary forces to Kashmir, the centre is rushing about 25,000 more paramilitary personnel to the Valley, as part of a massive troop build-up.
Official sources in central government told GMK that the troops started arriving on Thursday morning and are being inducted in various parts of the state, as centre government is in mood of scraping special status (Article 370) of Jammu and Kashmir state.
The troop build-up has fuelled speculations in Kashmir.
“The government had last week said that 100 companies were brought in to strengthen the counter-insurgency grid in Kashmir. On Wednesday, Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik said there is no plan to scrap Article 35-A, which defines permanent residents of the state and bars outsiders from purchasing and owning immovable property.”
Meanwhile, the Amarnath Yatra has been suspended till August 4. While the government cited adverse weather conditions as a reason for its suspension, the weather department has not predicted any major change in conditions.
Official sources say a section of troops deployed for the Yatra are also being moved for some impending law and order duty.
Around 400 companies, which constitute about 40,000 personnel, are deployed for the yatra’s security.
Sources say all security formations have been asked to remain in a state of readiness.
Meanwhile, Army chief General Bipin Rawat arrived in Srinagar on Thursday to review the security preparations in Kashmir. The defence spokesperson said the army chief will be in Kashmir for two days.
Over a total of 280 companies of government forces are being deployed in the Kashmir valley, official sources said.
The government forces, mostly CRPF personnel, are being deployed in vulnerable spots in the city and other parts of the valley, official sources said.
However, no reason was given for the sudden deployment of over 280 companies (28,000 troops) late in the evening, the sources said.
All major entry and exit points of the city have been taken over by the Central Armed Paramilitary Forces (CAPFs) with token presence of local police, they said.
Local residents have started panic-buying essentials as they are linking the deployment of forces to apprehension of deterioration in the law and order situation.
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