‘Militancy not over but declining fast’
Tauseef Ahmad
BANDIPORA, Apr 6: Jammu and Kashmir’s Director General of Police (DGP) Dilbagh Singh Thursday said that Drugs are more challenging than terrorism in Kashmir for the police which is working continuously to tackle this menace in the society.
Speaking with the reporters in Sumbal Bandipora the DGP, said that Pakistan is continuously trying to send Drugs, Narcotics and Weapons through drones and via cross border infiltrations.
The DGP Singh, said that militancy has not ended in Kashmir but it was fast declining. “Police and security forces are working hard to eliminate the remaining militants wherever they are in the UT,” he said. “For the first time, the number of local as well as foreign militants is all-time low.”
He said the youth who would otherwise fall prey to the false propaganda and get lured into militancy are now following their careers in competitive exams and sports. “The youth and the people have understood the false narrative that was being run from across to fuel militancy. The people of Kashmir have rejected that narrative and they are now contributing to the peace,” the DGP said.
On whether weapons and narcotics dropped by drones was still a challenge, the J&K police chief said that police have achieved a huge success in foiling the designs of enemies to air-drop cash, IEDs, weapons and narcotics through drones. “Though the activity is less than what we have been noticing in the past but air-dropping of weapons through drones still takes place in Kuwpara, Baramulla, Rajouri and Poonch area. We have seized huge quantities of weapons, money and narcotics and such bids are continuously being foiled,” the DGP said, adding that those involved in supplying drugs to other parts of UT and even Punjab are being tracked and strict action is being taken against them.
He said that police have launched a massive campaign to root-out drug menace in J&K. “We have opened drug de-addiction centers across UT and there are demands from many parts of Kashmir. It needs technical staff and other infrastructure but we are working on expanding the drug de-addiction centers wherever it is possible,” the DGP said.
About whether Eid-ul-Fitr prayers will be allowed at Eidgah Srinagar as stated by Waqf Board chairperson Darakshan Andrabi, the DGP said that final decision will be taken by the Divisional Administration Kashmir. “Srinagar has been peaceful and so are the other parts of Kashmir. There has been no law and order issue in Srinagar or elsewhere in Kashmir. Final decision about allowing Eid prayers at Eidgah will be taken by the divisional administration in the days ahead,” he said.
