Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 27: Asserting that 105 militants have been killed this year by security forces, Special Director General of CRPF, J&K Zone, SN Srivastava said today that the raids and arrests carried out recently by the NIA will further help in improving the law and order situation in the Kashmir valley.
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He told reporters on the sidelines of 78th Raising Day function of the CRPF at Group Centre, Bantalab this morning that things were improving in the Valley with regard to militancy and law and order.
He expressed confidence in competence of the CRPF to tackle the menace of terrorism in the backdrop of present security scenario. “We are competent enough to take challenges of internal security,” he added.
“105 militants have been killed in the counter-terrorism operations in the Kashmir valley by the security forces and in many of them the CRPF was actively involved,” he said.
Replying to a question about action by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) against separatists, Srivastava said, “it will improve the situation”. He added that the action will help curb terror funding.
He said that the stone pelting incidents had shown a dip due to various pro-active measures.
“Militancy has been present in South Kashmir but at the same time the security forces have had good impact,” he added.
The Additional DG CRPF, however, said it is not possible to say how much time it will take to stamp out terrorism.
“I am sure things are improving in Kashmir,” he asserted.
“The efforts by the security forces have increased. There are better coordinated operations. We get more information and intelligence inputs that is why we are successful in killing a large number of terrorists whose number is over one hundred,” Srivastava said.
Referring to videos of militants which are made to go viral on the internet, he said that this is being done with an aim to encourage and attract young boys towards terror outfits.
There are several “non lethal” weapons like plastic bullets etc which are available and good enough, he said in response to a question whether the force was looking for a substitute to pellet guns.
The use of pellet guns has been mired in controversy as they have been blamed for seriously injuring protesters.
Srivastava replied in negative when asked whether the paramilitary force was looking for a substitute to the pellet guns.
“The various non-lethal weapons, that we have, are good enough. We need not to look for substitutes,” he added.
The Special DG said that the CRPF had “got other alternative (non-lethal weapons) as well. “We have got Tear-smoke munitions (TSMs), plastic bullets and many others. They are proving very effective,” he emphasized.
He said there has been a fall in stone-pelting and the security forces have dealt with such incidents sternly.
The need is to be resolute in action, he said.
Elaborate security arrangements are in place in and around Mata Vaishno Devi shrine to thwart any terror attack, Srivastava said.
There is high degree of alertness amid increased security deployment in and around the shrine, he added.
“There is threat in general. There is possibility of the (terror) attack on Vaishno Devi shrine. That is why there is heavy security presence of CRPF as a large number of devotees visit the shrine,” he said.
The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) officer said that a massive combing operation was carried out at the shrine in view of the special input of terror attack recently.
“There was an input of our sister security agency about a specific terror attack on Vaishno Devi (shrine). We got entire area checked … But nothing was found”, Srivastava said.
The top CRPF official said that there was no security or intelligence lapse in connection with terror attack on Amarnath yatra bus last month in which eight pilgrims were killed.
On the occasion, a film `Safar’, based on the journey of CRPF from 1939 and stories of its valor, was presented by Ashish Kumar Jha, Commandant 166 battalion and PRO of CRPF, Jammu sector, which left the audience spellbound.
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