Centre to step up terror offensive

Encouraged by the recent success against terror groups in the Kashmir Valley, the Centre has decided to launch a more aggressive offensive against them in the months ahead.

The decision was taken at a high- level security meeting chaired by home minister Rajnath Singh in the Capital on Wednesday which was attended among others by defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman, national security advisor Ajit Doval, Centre’s interlocutor for J& K talks Dineshwar Sharma, senior officials from ministries of kome and defence as well as top officials from agencies like Intelligence Bureau and the NIA.

This year the security agencies have managed to eliminate 170 militants in the Valley, including some top commanders of different outfits. In view of the sustained pressure mounted by security forces and investigations carried out by National Investigatinbg Gency ( NIA) into cases of terror funding, there has been a decrease in violence and incidents of stone pelting.

The Centre, sources added, was keen that pressure should be maintained on these terror groups and operations should be further intensified against active militants in South Kashmir. An intelligence official said since infiltration drops during the winter months as mountain passes are blocked due to snow, the security forces can get aggressive against active militants.