Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 20: Even as Jammu is relatively peaceful and militancy free area where only two ultras are operating in higher reaches of Kishtwar, the enemy across the border is hell bent to trigger trouble here by disturbing communal harmony of this region for giving an impression that whole State of J&K is militancy infested.
“We have been getting intelligence inputs from across the border that the enemy is trying to trigger trouble here by disturbing communal harmony in Jammu through inciting fringe separatist elements that exist in some parts of the region,” said Danish Rana, Inspector General of Police, Jammu Range, during an exclusive interview with the Excelsior News Channel.
He also disclosed that during the recent Kashmir unrest following the killing of Hizb commander Burhan Wani on July 8, there were attempts of gross provocation by this fringe separatist element who wanted the unrest to spillover to north of Pir Panjal so that the whole State gets disturbed. “However, the J&K Police foiled these nefarious attempts by encouraging civil society, religious leaders, NGOs and public participation at larger level and thus succeeded to send a message across that Kashmir unrest had nothing to do with Jammu,” he added.
In response to a query on the controversy over settling of Bangladeshis and Burmese Rohingyas in Jammu, the IGP sought to clarify that these people have valid work permit and other documents to stay here and it was a policy decision. “However, despite all this, we have maintained record of these people and mapped them to ensure that they don’t indulge in criminal activities. As far as social fabric of the State or increase in communal activities are concerned, for that we have taken adequate measures to ensure that presence of Rohingyas may not become a threat as far as crime and peace in Jammu are concerned,” he asserted.
Regarding the militancy scenario in the Jammu region, the IGP informed that as per the Police records, there were just two active militants operating in higher reaches of Kishtwar district. “At times we get reports of transit of militants coming here from Kashmir and trying to establish sleeping modules for giving impetus to subversive activities and in order to revive old times of militancy in Jammu province, especially in Pir Panjal and Chenab Valley area but Police has data of surrendered militants whose activities are kept under constant surveillance so that they may not be recycled,” he explained.
The IGP also ruled out any co-ordination gap between the intelligence agencies, which allegedly led to incidents like terror attack on Army camp in Nagrota. “We must not forget that surprise element lies with the terrorists. If Nagrota has happened, probably five such incidents were averted due to timely sharing of intelligence inputs, which are collected from formal and informal forums,” he said.
Stressing the need to upgrade number as well as state of art technology in the CCTVs installed for security point of view, the IGP informed that more CCTVs are being mounted in Jammu, for which tenders have already been floated. “Very soon almost all the important locations, including National Highway, in the State will be put under CCTV surveillance,” he said and added that the Police was also encouraging people to install private CCTVs, for which shopkeepers and market associations have been taken into confidence.
Terming drug abuse as one of the biggest challenges like militancy, the young IGP informed that J&K Police has adopted a three-pronged approach to fight the menace. “Besides taking strict measures against the drug peddlers and book them, we are also emphasizing on creating public awareness against the drug abuse and de-addiction to treat the patients,” he said and stressed that fight against the menace has to be .taken jointly with the support of other agencies, parents, judiciary, chemists and NGOs.
Maintaining that he did not see any reason for Pakistan not violating ceasefire on border in future also, the IGP stressed the need for a long term strategy for safety and security of the border inhabitants. “Even as construction work of 80 bunkers has been started and the process is on, a lot needs to be done. We should construct community bunkers, need based bunkers and individual bunkers to avoid loss to human lives,” he said.
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