Centre Starts pulling Out troops From Jammu And Kashmir

The Centre on Tuesday signaled the pullout of ‘additional troops’ inducted in militancy-hit Jammu and Kashmir for security duties beginning July last week, just before the abrogation of Article 370 which ensured the state’s special status. The decision to de-induct additional troops was taken after due assessment and “considerable improvement in the ground situation in the Valley”, a top security official said.

He said 20 of the 300 companies of paramilitary forces that were inducted had already left the Kashmir Valley from areas in Baramula and Bandipora, besides Srinagar. The pullout will continue in a phased manner, he said but gave no timeline by when the full withdrawal would be achieved. He, however, added the additional troops inducted “would not leave in one go”, but be de-inducted in phases as per periodic assessments of the ground situation.