New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah arrived in Srinagar on Saturday to begin his three-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir. This is his first visit to the Union territory after the abrogation of Article 370.


He will review the security situation and development-related projects in Srinagar.


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He was received at the airport by Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and other senior officials of the Jammu and Kashmir administration.


Soon after his arrival, Union Home Minister Amit Shah visited the residence of slain Inspector Parvez Ahmed, who was killed by terrorists in June this year in Srinagar's Nowgam area. He met Ahmed's wife Fatima Akhter and gave her documents of appointment to a government job, on compassionate grounds.


Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, Union Minister Jitendra Singh, and DGP Dilbag Singh were also present with him.


Following the meet, Amit Shah tweeted: "Today visited the family of martyr Parvaiz Ahmad Dar and paid tributes to him. I and the nation are proud of his bravery. Jammu and Kashmir Police is making all efforts to realise the vision of PM Modi for a new JK."






Ahmad was shot dead by terrorists near his house in Nowgam on June 22 while he was returning home after offering evening prayers.


The home minister was accompanied by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, Union Minister Jitendra Singh, and Director General of Police Dilbag Singh.


Amit Shah Reviews Security Situation 





In an important development, Union Home Minister Amit Shah reviewed the security situation and steps taken to combat terrorism in Kashmir Valley in the wake of recent terrorist attacks, particularly targetting non-local labourers and minorities.


He reviewed the security scenario at a meeting held at the Raj Bhawan and attended by top civil administration officials, including Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, and senior security officials from the Army, CRPF, police and other agencies, officials said, as reported by news agency PTI.


The Union home minister was apprised of the steps taken to eliminate terrorism from Jammu and Kashmir and counter-infiltration measures taken by the forces, the officials informed.


This visit comes in the backdrop of 11 civilian killings in the valley in October alone. Five of the victims were labourers from Bihar, while three, including two teachers, belonged to minority communities in Kashmir.






Besides this, Amit Shah will also hold an interaction with young members of Jammu and Kashmir Youth Clubs via video conference around 4:45 pm. Then, around 6 pm, he will inaugurate the first Srinagar-Sharjah international flight via video conferencing from the Raj Bhawan.


He is also likely to meet the families of the terror attack victims such as local pharmacist Pandit Makhan Lal Bindroo, school teacher Supinder Kaur, and young sub-inspector Arshad Ahmad Mir, IANS reported.


On Sunday, the Union Home Minister will visit Jammu and is likely to meet BJP workers at the party office and then hold a public rally in Bhagwati Nagar.


He is expected to interact with various delegations as a part of the Union government’s outreach programme.


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Security Tightened Ahead Of Visit


Ahead of the Union Home Minister’s visit to Jammu and Kashmir, several traffic restrictions were imposed in Srinagar, such as those driving two-wheelers are being subjected to intensive security checks.


In addition, a total of 50 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) teams have been deployed to the union territory for security purposes.


Around 700 people have been detained in the union territory, a few under the stringent Public Safety Act (PSA), after the recent killings of non-locals in Jammu and Kashmir, police officials informed.


Meanwhile, a total of 26 detainees are being shifted to the Central Jail of Agra from Jammu and Kashmir under the Public Safety Act 1978. The order was issued ahead of Amit Shah’s visit to the union territory beginning Saturday, ANI reported.


The important three-day visit comes amid encounters by security forces to neutralise the terrorist elements in the Kashmir valley while total 11 lives have been lost in the recent killings of civilians mostly targetting non-locals.


(With Inputs From Agencies)