What went wrong? J&K governor asks officials

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir governor N.N. Vohra and chief minister Mehbooba Mufti reviewed the security for the Amarnath yatra at separate meetings with government functionaries and top security forces officials in the backdrop of Monday’s terror attack.

The injured pilgrims and the coffins carrying the corpses of those killed were flown to Ahmadabad in a special IAF aircraft which had sent to Srinagar from Delhi earlier.

The governor, who is also the chairman of the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB), after a midnight review meeting convened an emergency yatra security review meeting here on Tuesday. “After a detailed discussion on what had gone wrong with the approach and procedures agreed to in the yatra security review meetings chaired by the governor on May 15 and June 22, he directed the heads of all the security forces to go in for most critically review and ensure strict enforcement of extant yatra security arrangements and see that there was no let up whatsoever,” a Raj Bhavan spokesman said. He added that Mr Vohra also advised the security forces chiefs to maintain heightened surveillance and close coordination during the remaining period of the yatra.

Those who attended the meeting include J&K chief secretary B.B. Vyas, director-general of police Shesh Paul Vaid, GOC of the Srinagar-based 15 Army Corps Lt. Gen. J.S. Sandhu, CRPF DG Rajiv Rai Bhatnagar, principal secretary to the governor Umang Narula and chief executive officer of the SASB and others senior officers from the administration, police, CRPF and BSF and other paramilitary forces and various intelligence agencies.

Chief minister Mufti also closeted with her Cabinet colleagues here to review the security cover being provided to the pilgrims and also overall security situation in the state in view of the stepped up activities by militants.

She earlier visited the Srinagar Airport to pay floral tributes to the slain pilgrims.

An official statement issued here said that the Chief Minister consoled the bereaved families and expressed deep anguish over the tragic death of their family members. She said the gruesome act of violence has shaken the edifice of Kashmiri ethos and culture and people across the board have condemned this gory act.

She along with deputy chief minister Nirmal Singh also visited the injured tourists at Srinagar and Anantnag. “She directed the hospital administrations at both the places to ensure best possible care to the injured,” the statement said.

It added that the Chief Minister herself supervised the rescue and relief operations throughout the night at Anantnag. She visited the injured and stranded yatris and assured them all help from the State government. “Immediately on hearing about the incident, the Chief Minister along with Minister for Works Naeem Akhtar straightaway drove to Anantnag and took on spot assessment of the situation. She visited the place where the incident took place and also the district hospital where the injured were being treated”, the statement said. It further said, “She along with the Works Minister and the Divisional administration sat with the stranded yatris throughout night and supervised providing necessary help to them and reassuring them”.

The Raj Bhavan spokesman said that after the terror attack the Governor held a mid-night meeting to review the course of the yatra. “It was decided that the pilgrimage shall continue without any diminution whatsoever and this decision was conveyed to all camp directors and to the Yatri Niwas, Jammu, from where pilgrims leave for the Valley in a convoy every morning”, he said.

On Tuesday morning, the Governor held a meeting in the yatra control room  with Shri Umang Narula, CEO, Jitendra Singh, Additional CEO, and other senior officers of the SASB to monitor the pace of Tuesday’s pilgrimage. It was reported to him that 3,289 pilgrims had left Jammu at 3 am in the morning for Pahalgam and Baltal base-camps. “By 10.30 am today, 18, 838 pilgrims had left for the holy cave-shrine from Chandanwari, Sheshnag, Panjtarni and Baltal camps, 5,556 pilgrims who left Chandanwari on Tuesday morning would need to halt en-route and reach Amarnath on Wednesday”, an official statement said. It added that the helicopter services from Pahalgam and Neelgrath (Baltal) are operating normally as the weather is clear.

The Governor directed the CEO to ensure that, with effect from Tuesday, twice a day review meetings are held.

Another official statement said that Vohra visited the Technical Area, IAF Base, Srinagar, early Tuesday morning to meet the 19 pilgrims who had been injured in the terror attack. After treatment, the injured pilgrims were airlifted to the Srinagar Airport in the morning. Three pilgrims, who are more seriously injured, are still in hospitals at Anantnag and Srinagar.

Governor expressed his concern and sympathy to the injured pilgrims and wished them a safe journey home. “He also met Salim Bhai, the driver of the bus, which he had driven all the way from Gujarat to Kashmir, and saluted him for his courage in not allowing the vehicle to go out of control when he was repeatedly fired upon from the front and the windscreen had been totally shattered,” the statement said. Governor paid respect to the seven pilgrims killed in this terror attack and laid wreaths on their coffins.