by Ovais Gull
Srinagar: Days after Border Security Force (BSF) and Indo-Tibetan Border Force (ITBF) have been ordered to replace Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) for static guard duties in Srinagar, authorities in the intervening night of Sunday-Monday removed several bunkers in Srinagar including those established two months back.
Several bunkers were established in Srinagar City in recent past but the bunkers including the old ones were removed from Srinagar on Sunday night.
The development comes as surprise for the residents here who were demanding authorities to remove the newly established bunkers from their vicinity especially at Barbar Shah Chowk.
A bunker situated at Lal Chowk near Ganta Ghar which was recently attacked by suspected militants was also removed; eyewitnesses told INS, adding that many bunkers in Srinagar remained untouched as the forces personnel probably BSF men were seen deployed around the bunkers.
Pertinently, an order issued by the zone police headquarters, said the move to give static duties to BSF and ITBP has been taken to strengthen the law and order grid in Kashmir region. According to police, it is a practice to place new force as static guard outside as the new force is not well versed with law and order.
Earlier, three-decade old bunker was also removed from Amira Kadal here after the locals and local Auqaf committee had urged the higher ups to remove the bunker in the area in absence of less space on the road.
In a separate order, the Union Home Ministry has also said: “We have to urgently deploy CAPFs (Central Armed Police Force) in Jammu & Kashmir. It is requested to provide 100 coys of CAPFs (CRPF – 45, BSF-35, SSB-10 & ITBP 10) to Govt of J&K with immediate effect and till further orders.
IG (ops), CRPF is requested to ensure immediate movement of forces in coordination with IG (ops) of all forces,” read a Home Ministry letter to the state government, copies of which have been also sent to IG(Ops) to CRPF, BSF, ITBP and SSB.
