Home Minister Amit Shah reviews security situation in Jammu and Kashmir

New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday reviewed the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir, where five soldiers were killed by terrorists in an ambush in Poonch district a fortnight ago.

A day after the December 21 terror attack, three civilians, aged between 27 and 42, were found dead after they were allegedly picked up by the Army for questioning, sparking outrage. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Army chief Pande had visited Poonch in the wake of these incidents.

Officials said Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir Manoj Sinha, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, Chief of Army staff (CoAS) General Manoj Pande and top officials of intelligence and other security agencies attended the meeting on Tuesday.

"The home minister has been briefed about the prevailing security situation in Jammu and Kashmir," an official said.

Earlier, Jammu and Kashmir administration had announced compensation and jobs to the families of the dead civilians and said legal action on the matter has been initiated.

Sporadic violence continued in Jammu and Kashmir since the beginning of 2023.

Rajouri, Poonch and Reasi districts in Jammu and Kashmir witnessed a series of encounters last year that left 54 persons, including 28 terrorists and 19 security personnel, dead, officials said.

The officials have ascribed the uptick in violence to "desperate attempts from across the border" to revive terrorism in the region.

While 31 persons, including 10 terrorists and 14 security personnel, were killed in Rajouri, 15 terrorists and five security personnel were killed in Poonch district. Three terrorists were killed in the Reasi district.

Most of the terrorists were killed while attempting to sneak into this side of the border, the officials said.

In May last year, five Army personnel were killed and a major-rank officer was injured in Chamrer forest during an anti-terrorist operation. A foreign terrorist was also killed in the operation.