The Ministry of Home Affairs has decided to withdraw 72 Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) companies from Jammu and Kashmir with immediate effect. News agency ANI reports that 72 companies will include 24 CRPF, 12 BSF, 12 ITBP and 12 CISF companies.
Additional forces were deployed in the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir in August when the government decided to revoke Article 370 and 35A which gave special status to J&K. The valley has seen an uneasy calm in the months since the decision was taken by the government. Several political leaders including former Chief Ministers like Mehbooba Mufti, Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah were put into preventive detention.
Many of these leaders are still in custody as the valley comes back to life slowly.
Meanwhile, the northern army commander Lt Gen Ranbir Singh on Tuesday reached out to troops deployed in forward snow-bound areas along the LoC in Kashmir valley and reviewed the operational preparedness and prevailing situation in the region, officials said.
He was accompanied by Chinar Corps Commander Lt Gen KJS Dhillon, they added.
Lt Gen Ranbir Singh, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Northern Command, accompanied by Lt Gen K J S Dhillon, Chinar Corps Commander, visited forward snow-bound areas in the frontier districts along the Line of Control in the Valley, they said.
Lt Gen Singh reviewed the operational preparedness of troops deployed along the LoC and also reviewed prevailing security situation there.
He extolled all ranks for success in thwarting enemies designs and maintaining constant vigil.
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