Union home secy makes surprise visit to CRPF camp in Kashmir

It was a big surprise for around 50-odd CRPF jawans who were having lunch when Union Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi joined them to share a meal at their camp in Awantipora in Jammu and Kashmir.
Mehrishi, who was on a day-long visit here yesterday, on the spur of the moment decided to visit a camp of the CRPF which is involved in counter-insurgency operations as well tackling stone pelting mobs.
He gave no clue to those living in the camp in Awantipora in Pulwama district before reaching there at around 12.30 pm when the securitymen were having lunch, a security official said.

Mehrishi told them that he had come to have a first hand experience about their life in Kashmir, listen to their problems while sharing the meal.
The home secretary had the vegetarian lunch comprising rajma, seasonal vegetables, roti, pickles, rice and banana, the official said.
Mehrishi was apparently very happy that the food was not spicy and neither too oily.

When asked about the quality of food and their standard of living, the jawans told the top officer that they have no complaint on that but said they were helpless when attacked by stone pelting mobs as they have strict instructions not to open fire.

The home secretary told the CRPF men to consider the Kashmiri youths as their "own brothers" and tackle such situations with sensitivity.
Mehrishi was told that the CRPF personnel were given all necessary protective body gear and helmets.
During the 45-minute interaction, the security personnel told Mehrishi that their morale is very high despite working in adverse situation in the Kashmir Valley, the official said.