Rajnath likely to visit Kashmir today

Srinagar, Feb 14: Home Minister Rajnath Singh Thursday spoke to Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik and took stock of the situation in the state after the deadly attack on a CRPF convoy on the highway near Lethpora, Pulwama in which over 40 CRPF personnel were killed.

He also cancelled all his political engagements in Bihar Friday and is likely to visit Jammu and Kashmir on Friday.

He called up the governor, who apprised him about the prevailing situation in the state. Singh also spoke to Union Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba and Director General of CRPF R R Bhatnagar and gave them necessary instructions, a home ministry official said.

The ministry is also closely monitoring the situation.

In a tweet, Singh said, “Today’s dastardly attack on CRPF in Pulwama (J&K) is extremely painful and disturbing. I bow to each and every CRPF jawan who has sacrificed his life in service to the nation. I pray for the speedy recovery of the injured.”

Rajnath is likely to hold a security review meeting in Delhi on Friday in the wake of the militant attack.

Sources said that the meeting will look into possible security lapses that may have led to the attack on a CRPF convoy.

Apart from the Home Minister, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, top officials of the Home Ministry, intelligence and paramilitary force will attend the meeting to take stock of the situation in Jammu and Kashmir.

On the other hand, sources said that it is most likely that a high-level MHA team will also visit Jammu and Kashmir to assess the security situation.

Sources said that Director General of CRPF is also likely to reach Jammu and Kashmir to review the situation.

At least 40 CRPF personnel were killed in Pulwama district when a Jaish-e-Mohammed militant rammed an explosives-laden vehicle into the bus they were travelling in.

This is one of the worst attacks in the state since the Uri attack in 2016