Inside Home Minister Amit Shah's 3-day high-level visit to J&K

The security situation will be the primary focus of Home Minister Amit Shah during his three-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir that began on Sunday evening. The visit will also cover political developments, governance and ongoing development projects.

 

This is his first visit since the National Conference government, led by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, took office in the Union Territory in October 2024. 

 

After landing in Jammu, Shah visited the Raj Bhawan and then held a meeting with BJP MLAs. Those present included Union Minister of State in the PMO Dr Jitendra Singh, Tarun Chugh (BJP National General Secretary in charge of J&K), UT BJP Chief Sat Sharma, Leader of the Opposition Sunil Sharma, and MPs Jugal Kishore Sharma and Ghulam Ali Khatana. Shah sought individual feedback from all 28 MLAs, focusing on the security situation, political climate, and the budget session of the legislature, which resumes tomorrow after a 12-day break.

 

On April 7, the Home Minister will visit forward posts of the Border Security Force (BSF) in the Kathua district at around 10:30 AM. There, he will receive a detailed briefing on cross-border infiltration, drug trafficking, and the recent spike in militant activity, especially by Pakistan-based groups operating along the Line of Control (LoC). Senior BSF officers will provide updates on counter-infiltration efforts and emerging threats.

 

At 2 PM, Shah will meet the families of Jammu and Kashmir Police personnel who were killed in encounters with militants. The meeting will take place at Raj Bhawan, where he will hand over appointment letters to them. Later, he will offer prayers at a Shiv Mandir in Gandhi Nagar, before heading to Kashmir, where he will visit the family of martyred DSP Himayun Bhat, who was killed in a militant encounter in Kokernag in 2013.

 

A major highlight of the visit will be a high-level security review meeting at the Raj Bhawan at around 11 AM on 8 April. The meeting will assess the progress of infrastructure projects, welfare schemes, and development initiatives in the Union Territory. Abdullah has been invited to attend this meeting. If he participates, it would reflect a move towards political engagement and cooperation.

 

A second, more exclusive security meeting is scheduled for 1 PM on the same day, strictly focused on law and order, counter-terrorism strategies, and the security situation in the Pir Panjal region — specifically Doda, Ramban, Kishtwar, Reasi, Rajouri, Poonch, Budhalpur, and Kathua — where recent terror incidents have caused concern. Abdullah is unlikely to attend this meeting.

 

The session will be attended by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, senior Home Ministry officials, Intelligence Bureau representatives, paramilitary forces, as well as the Jammu and Kashmir Police, including DGP R.R. Swain. Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan is also set to participate.

 

The review is expected to produce a comprehensive security blueprint to deal with the new wave of militancy, including plans to block infiltration routes, disrupt drug networks, and counter radical propaganda that aims to spread fear among civilians.

 

The Central Government is determined to respond strongly to the resurgence of militants and drug cartels operating from across the LoC, with a new counter-militancy policy being drafted to tackle the changing security landscape. Intelligence agencies will also present inputs on Pakistan’s shifting strategies and its implications on internal security. 

 

The Union Home Minister is expected to return to New Delhi on the evening of 8 April. 

India