Patil to visit J&K tomorrow; pay obeisance at Vaishnodevi, Amarnat

Jammu, June 29 (UNI) Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil will visit the famous Vaishno Devi cave shrine at the Trikuta hills of Katra in Jammu and Kashmir tomorrow, a day before proceeding on the Amar Nath yatra on July 1, sources today said.

In the wake of terrorist threats to important shrines across the country, he will also chair a high-level administrative meeting at Katra and review the security situation at the Bhawan, sources told UNI.

Top officials of Army, Intelligence Bureau (IB), BSF, CRPF, Union Home Ministry, State Home and police Department, civil and Shrine Board authorities have been called to Katra for the meeting.

Massive deployment of police and para-military forces have been made in the Katra town to provide foolproof security cover to the high-profile meeting.

The Minister will, thereafter, fly to the capital city of Srinagar, where he will meet Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad in the afternoon, sources informed. He is also scheduled to pay a brief visit to Kargil.

On July 1, Mr Patil will fly to Shri Amarnath shrine, sources said, asserting that the Union Home Minister will also review the yatra arrangements.

UNI