Union Home Minister Amit Shah will undertake a two-day visit to the Jammu region on May 29 and 30 — his first since Operation Sindoor. During the visit, he will review the security situation and travel to Poonch, the border district heavily affected by recent Pakistani shelling that killed 13 civilians and caused significant damage to homes and businesses.
Shah had previously visited Kashmir on April 22, shortly after the terror attack in Baisaran, Pahalgam, where 26 civilians — including 25 tourists — were killed. The next day, he visited the site of the attack.
However, this will be his first visit to the Union Territory following Operation Sindoor (May 7–10), during which Indian Armed Forces targeted terrorist infrastructure and military positions deep inside Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK).
According to a local daily Excelsior, Shah will arrive in Jammu on the evening of May 29 and chair a high-level security review meeting. The meeting will include Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, top Army officials, paramilitary forces, Jammu and Kashmir Police, civil administration, and intelligence agencies.
Preparations for the upcoming Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra (July 3–August 9) will be a key focus, especially in light of the Pahalgam attack. Officials expect unprecedented security measures this year, amid fears that Pakistan, frustrated by Operation Sindoor, could attempt to disrupt the pilgrimage.
Anti-infiltration and counter-terror strategies will also be reviewed, as will progress on decisions made in the April 22 security meeting in Srinagar. Security forces have engaged militants in multiple encounters across Doda, Kishtwar, Kathua, Udhampur, Rajouri, and Poonch in recent weeks. Two Army soldiers were martyred in Kishtwar and Udhampur in separate encounters.
On May 30, Shah will visit Poonch to assess the damage caused by Pakistani shelling and meet with the families of those killed. The shelling claimed 13 civilian lives — including four children — and damaged three religious sites, numerous homes, and businesses.
During a visit to Poonch last week, Lieutenant Governor Sinha announced a government job for each family that lost a member in the shelling and said the Centre would soon announce a relief package for affected structures.
Meanwhile, speaking in Mumbai at the 150th anniversary of the Madhavbagh Laxminarayan Temple, Shah said Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 11-year tenure “will be written in golden letters in history.”
Addressing the gathering in Gujarati, he added, “Those who didn’t understand the value of ek chutki sindoor were taught its meaning through Operation Sindoor.” He praised Modi’s leadership for advancing national security, economic growth, and cultural pride, citing the construction of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya and the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor as examples of political will.