A shutdown called by the BJP against Thursday’s twin terror attacks by suspected Islamic militants at a police station and an Army camp that killed ten people disrupted normal life in Jammu and neighbouring towns on Friday. At places, small crowds of BJP activists and supporters chanting anti-Pakistan and anti-militant slogans held protest demonstrations during which Pakistan’s national flag was torched. The protesters demanded tough military campaign be launched against militants and their overground supporters. They also wanted Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to avoid meeting his Pakistani counterpart in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. The shutdown call was supported by Jammu Bar Council, Jammu Chamber of Commerce and Industries and some other regional groups. Most shops and other businesses in the winter capital and the towns of Udhampur, Hira Nagar, Samba, R.S. Pora, Akhnoor, Reasi and at some other places remained closed for the day and public transport was off the roads. However, private cars, two-wheelers and auto rickshaws were plying on most routes of the region whereas the local administration had declared a holiday in educational institutions “in view of the prevailing law and order situation.” The security throughout the region had been beefed up further following Thursday’s terror strikes and in view of the general strike call. Meanwhile, chief minister Omar Abdullah has called for further strengthening the surveillance and security measures to avoid such acts in future. The chief minister also asked for close coordination between various security agencies especially those assigned with counter-insurgency responsibility. An official spokesperon said that the chief minister who is camping in Jammu to monitor the situation after the twin terror attacks reviewed the functioning of security grid at a high-level meeting chaired by him on Friday morning. “Top brass of Army, security forces, J&K police and civil administration was present in the meeting in which the CM was apprised of the details of operations conducted to combat the terrorist attacks,” he said.
