Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, Apr 22: After the killing of two village headmen and son of one of the headman in Tral area of South Kashmir, security patrolling in Anantnag constituency, especially sensitive areas, has been intensified ahead of polls.
The Deputy Inspector General of Police, South Kashmir, Vijay Kumar, told Excelsior that Special Director General of Jammu and Kashmir Police, K Rajindra, took security review meeting of the constituency in Awantipora today.
The meeting discussed the security situation in the aftermath of killing of three persons by militants last night. Lumbardar Mohammad Anwar Khanday son of Sadiq Khanday of Amlar, Sarpanch Ghulam Nabi Mir, and his son Firdous Ahmad Mir of Batgund in Tral area of Awantipora were killed last night leading to panic in the area.
The meeting was attended by the General Officer Commanding (GOC) Victor Force, sector commanders of Army, Inspector General of Police Kashmir, G A Mir, DIG South Kashmir, Vijay Kumar, IG CRPF, DIG CRPF and several other top security officials.
DIG said that the additional CRPF battalions that were brought for elections on poll day have also been put into service from today. He said that night patrolling has been started from today in the constituency to put pressure on militants.
And in the aftermath of the killing of the three men including a Sarpanch in Tral last night, over a dozen of Panchayat members resigned in panic. Sarpanch of village Gulshanpora, Tral, Sardar Jang Bahadur in his resignation letter addressed to Block Development officer says: “I could not serve the village and I am resigning. I am not and neither was affiliated with any political party. Hence I am handing over my resignation to BDO.”
The other Panchayat members who pasted their resignation of electric poles and outside local Majids are: Mohammad Maqbool Khanday son of Ghulam Mohammad Sarpanch, Mohammad Afzal Mir son of Rustum Mir Panch, Jalaludin Rather son of Ghulam Mohammad Panch, Mohammad Jabar Ganie son of Sidiq Ganie Panch, Mohammad Ashraf Sheikh son of Sadaq Sheikh Panch, Manzoor Ahmad Dar son of Ghulam Mohammad Dar, Panch, Mohammad Ismail Khanday son of Abdul Rahman Khanday Panch, Ghulam Qadir Khanday son of Ghulam Nabi Panch, Naseema Begum wife of Nazir Ah Sheikh Panch, Hameeda Begum wife of Ali Ganie Panch, Ghulam Rasool Bhat son of Ghulam Mohammad resident of Batgund, Mohammad Akram Sofi son of Rash Sofi resident of Batgund, Shafeeqa Bano wife of Ahad Bhat resident of Batgund, Ghulam Nabi Najar son of Satar a resident of Batgund, Sarwa begun wife of Hamza Mir a resident of Batgund, Mushtaq Ahmad Panch Gulshanpora and Abdul Ahad Panch Gulshanpora.
DIG Kumar said that Panchs and Sarpanchs have been provided contact numbers of the police stations, police posts and the security forces camps in their area. “We have asked them to call the nearest security camp in case of any eventuality. The security forces including Army will reach for any kind of help within 10 minutes”, he said.
DIG said that 35-40 militants are operating in South Kashmir, there are 120 Over Ground Workers (OGWs) and 1500 surrendered and released militants. He said that police is keeping an eye of the OGWs and surrendered and released militants as some of them are working on the behalf of militants.
Kumar said that all 1615 polling station in the constituency are hypersensitive. He said that elaborate security arrangements have been made for the smooth conduct of polls.
DIG said that the focus of the security forces is not the militants only but the miscreants as well. “Security forces will keep an eye on miscreants who may target the poll parities”, he added.
Kumar said that 15 Central Reserve Police Force battalions are on election duty and 10 battalions of Army that are already in the area are for area domination. He said that besides there are 7500 Jammu and Kashmir Police personnel on election duty.
DIG said that one section of CRPF will man each polling station and two 2 police personnel will be deployed for frisking of the voters. “We have divided entire constituency in 189 sections with one sector magistrate and police officer for each sector. One sector magistrate will look after 8-10 polling stations”, he added. He said that they will be deployed for two days from April 23. They will collect all the Electronic Voting Machines and deposit them in Anantnag in a strong room on April 24 night only.
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