JAMMU, Mar 19 (KNS): Director General of Police (DGP) J&K Police Dilbag Singh  on Friday that there was no specific threat to the Amarnath yatra but sticky bombs are a new challenge to deal with.

The 56-day pilgrimage will start from June 28 till August 22.

DGP added that security agencies are fully aware what kind of arrangements are to be done for Yatra.
"Like every year, the yatra arrangements are being done. There is a set drill and we know what kind of security is required on the highways, camps, community kitchens and on the twin tracks of Pahalgam and Baltal. The arrangements are being done on the same pattern,” the DGP told reporters on the sidelines of a function at the police training school in Sunjuwan here.
Without naming Pakistan, DGP also said that "there are no specific threats to the yatra but sticky bombs are indeed a new challenge. It was not there earlier but forces inimical to India including the neighbouring country are always
hell bent upon creating disturbance".
" It is a new thing. It is a small IED with a magnet, which can be easily planted in vehicles and metals. It is a threat but we have our security drills and will take care of them,” he said according to the KNS correspondent.

Regarding the government’s efforts to wean away the youth from militancy and bring them back to the mainstream, Singh said, “Such efforts are on for the past few years and in 2020 at least three dozen such youth shunned the path of violence on the request of their parents. They are now living a peaceful life.”

The DGP said that the process was still on.
“Our endeavour is that youth should be weaned away from it and they should be stopped from going astray. After shunning the path of violence they also realize it (futility of gun) and express gratitude to the security forces for saving their lives and bringing them back to the mainstream,” he said.

"now even during the encounters we give opportunity to the terrorists to surrender. At least a dozen such militants surrendered during the encounters last year and we will continue this process,” he added.

On anti-militancy operations, he said that the security forces achieved big successes in Kashmir this year.

In north Kashmir a top commander of Lashkar-e-Taiba, Gani Khawaja was killed and similarly Jaish commander Sajjad Afghanhi was killed in Shopian. 

Then two top commanders of Lashkar-e-Mustafa and the TRF-Hidyatullah Malik and Zahoor Ahmad Rather were captured alive in Jammu,” he said.

The police chief said that security forces have killed 12 militants so far this year and three dozen others belonging to various modules were arrested. 
Earlier  IGP Jammu PS Ranipse said that all CRPF units and formations have been briefed about the threat posed by sticky bombs.(KNS)