Cops say no security lapse at Bharat Jodo Yatra in Jammu and Kashmir

There was no security lapse at the Bharat Jodo Yatra, a senior Jammu and Kashmir police official said on Friday while stressing that the organisers had not informed the police about a large crowd joining the march from Banihal.

"The Jammu and Kashmir police was not consulted before the Bharat Jodo Yatra was discontinued. We will provide foolproof security (to the yatra)," Additional Director General of Police Vijay Kumar, who is in charge of security in Kashmir Valley, said in a statement.

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Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said he had to call off his walk on Friday because police arrangements "unfortunately completely collapsed" when the yatra crossed Banihal into Qazigund in the Valley through the Jawahar tunnel.

"Only authorised persons as identified by organisers and frisked crowd were allowed inside towards the route of the yatra. Organisers and managers of the BJY did not intimate about large gathering from Banihal joining the yatra," Kumar said.

Crowds, he said, were thronging Qazigund.

"Full security arrangements were in place... JK Police was not consulted before taking any decision on discontinuation of the yatra," he added.

"The rest of the yatra continued peacefully. There was no security lapse at all," Kumar said in the statement.