Ceasefire violations: Shinde visits Jammu and Kashmir (pics)

By IANS English

Updated: Tuesday, October 22, 2013, 15:24 [IST]

Jammu, Oct 22: Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde arrived here on Tuesday on a day's visit to take stock of the security situation in the wake of frequent ceasefire violations by Pakistan on the international border in Jammu and Kashmir.

Shinde landed at the technical area of Jammu airport in the morning alongwith union Home Secretary Anil Goswami, other senior home ministry officials and Subhash Joshi, director general (DG) of paramilitary border security force (BSF).

From Jammu airport, the home minister, along with the state Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, and the team of union ministry officials flew in a chopper to Samba town where Shinde reviewed the situation on the international border with senior BSF officials.

The meeting was held at the Samba headquarters of the BSF.

The BSF guards the international border in Jammu and Kashmir, while the army is deployed on the line of control (LoC) in the state.

The union home minister is visiting some villages along the international border in Samba and Hira Nagar areas on Tuesday.

Official sources said Shinde is scheduled to meet a delegation of villagers who left their villages or continue to live in their villages close to the border despite frequent ceasefire violations by Pakistan Rangers in Jammu region.

Later in the day, the home minister is scheduled to co-chair a meeting of the unified headquarters in winter capital Jammu along with Omar Abdullah.

The unified headquarter is the top security grid of army, paramilitary forces, state police, central and state intelligence agencies formed to synergize anti-militancy operations in the state.

The home minister is scheduled to fly back to New Delhi in the evening.

In Jammu

Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde with Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah addressing a press conference in Samba sector of Jammu on Tuesday.

In Jammu

Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde interacting with BFS personnel in Samba sector of Jammu on Tuesday.

In Jammu

Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde with Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah addressing a press conference in Samba sector of Jammu on Tuesday.