Home Minister Rajnath Singh interacting with people during his visit to Lucknow (PTI)
On a day Governor's rule was imposed in Jammu and Kashmir after the BJP pulled out of the ruling coalition with the PDP, Defence Minister
Nirmala Sitharaman visited the family of Aurangzeb, the soldier who was kidnapped and killed by terrorists in south Kashmir last week.
Governor NN Vohra held a security review meeting in Srinagar this afternoon amid talk of anti-terror operations intensifying in the state. Sources have told NDTV that the police who may have been under pressure to go slow in some anti-terror operations because of the political compulsions of the PDP will now have a free hand.
Once intelligence information is shared, the army will be in position to instantly respond where required, sources said, adding that 210 terrorists, who are on the hit-list of security agencies, will now be targeted.
''We only stopped our operations during Ramzan. But we saw what happened. The imposition of Governor's rule will not affect our operations, which will go on the way they used to'', said Army Chief General Bipin Rawat.
The Ramzan ceasefire saw a spike in terrorist-related incidents --- 66, which includes 21 grenade attacks. There were also four major infiltration attempts between May 17 and June 13 in which 15 terrorists were killed.
However, key challenges remain. Thousands in Kashmir typically attend the burial of terrorists or civilians caught in cross-fire. Some who are part of the burial processions are invariably convinced to join the terrorist ranks. A strategy to counter the dynamics of such mobs needs to be worked out.
The BJP cited the deteriorating security situation in the valley to walk out of the alliance, just days after the Ramzan ceasefire was not expanded. The centre says it is committed to stemming the violence.
"There is only one aim --- to rid Jammu and Kashmir of terrorism and ensure peace. Our govt will work towards achieving this", said Home Minister Rajnath Singh.