New Delhi, Feb 18 (IANS): Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday directed that the security grid should be further strengthened to ensure zero cross-border infiltration and to eliminate terrorism.

Reviewing the security situation in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir with Lt Governor Manoj Sinha, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Army Chief General Mukund Naravane, officials of the Intelligence Bureau, Home Ministry and UT officials, he appreciated the efforts of the security agencies which have led to a reduction in terror incidents there over the last few years.

He was informed that the number of terror incidents declined from 417 in 2018 to 229 in 2021, while the number of security forces personnel martyred has reduced from 91 in 2018 to 42 in 2021. The Home Minister also expressed satisfaction over the marked decline in the terror incidents in J&K and also directed the state administration to speed up developmental work there, said official sources in the Ministry.

They said that the security situation along the International Border and the Line of Control was also reviewed during the meeting. The officials stated that development in the border areas was discussed in the meeting and the J&K officials were asked to speed up the development work along the border areas on a priority basis.

On October 23 last year, the Home Minister had visited J&K and reviewed the security situation in the UT. During his three-day tour of the state, he held several rounds of meetings with security forces and the officials of Jammu and Kashmir. In a bid to boost the morale of the Central forces, on October 26, 2021, he stayed for the night at the CRPF Campus in Lethpora in Pulwama where a suicide car bomb attack by Pakistan-sponsored terrorist in February 2019 had left 40 paramilitary personnel dead.

This was his first visit to J&K after abrogation of Article 370 from the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir in August 2019.