New Delhi, Feb 14: Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani today directed security forces to minimise collateral damage and respect human rights while conducting anti-terrorist drives. The Deputy Prime Minister, who chaired a high-level meeting of heads of Para military forces and other senior officials here this morning, also asked the security forces to carry out Standard Operating Procedures (SPOs) for activities like cordon and search, frisking at check points and night curfews in a more people-friendly manner. The SPOs should be specially further refined by each security force, in consultation with the state government and state police after discussions at the Unified Headquarters (UHQ) at Srinagar and Jammu, Mr Advani told the meeting. The meeting at his north block office was conducted in the backdrop of the recent killing of five people during anti-militancy operations at Bandipora in Kashmir. It was attended by army Chief Gen N C Vij, Union Home Secretary Anil Baijal, intelligence bureau director K P Singh, heads of central Para military forces and senior officials of the Home Ministry and Jammu and Kashmir government.

The meeting also discussed the twin objectives of ensuring effective counter-terrorism operations by security forces while avoiding human rights violations and ensuring humane and polite behaviour during the day-to-day interaction with civilians in the state. Bureau Report