No information of militant activity in Bani area: Deputy CM

Allaying the security concern of the people of the Bani area of Kathua district after the withdrawal of two companies of security forces, the Jammu and Kashmir government today said that there was no such information that militants were active in the area.
In the backdrop of two successive terrorist attacks in Kathua and Samba districts recently, the locals feel concerned about their security.
The residents of Bani and adjoining areas have been holding protest demonstrations since March 23 against the withdrawal of the security forces from the area, claiming that the move would expose them to grave risk
"There is hardly any information that militants are active in Bani, there is no such information," Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh told PTI.

He said that the "withdrawal was a routine matter".
"It is a routine matter, I think army has taken this call, they have done it considering all the security concern of the people there," the Deputy CM said.

He said that the army has followed the directions that were given during the meeting of the Unified command, "It is done considering all the security concerns there and whatever was discussed in the unified command."
On March 24, the BJP legislators had also created uproar in the Assembly over the withdrawal of security forces from the upper reaches of Kathua district including the Bani constituency.

The Bani MLA Jeevan Lal had warned of mass migration from the upper reaches if the withdrawal of forces was not stopped immediately.
On March 20, two heavily armed militants had launched a suicide attack at the Raj Bagh Police Station in Kathua district in which seven people including two militants were killed, followed by an attack on the next day in Samba in which two militants were gunned down by the army.