Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 18: Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti today listed number of measures taken to eradicate/check cross border terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir.
In a written reply to the question of BJP State president and MLA Jammu West, Sat Sharma in the Legislative Assembly, Mehbooba mentioned the measures as border fencing and its electrification, installation of Night Vision Devices, heat sensing gadgets, tactical deployment of security forces on the International Border and Line of Control and Intelligence personnel to collect advance and target oriented inputs on infiltration.
Foot patrolling, establishment of Border Police Posts for generating local intelligence, regular patrolling along the border and laying of ambushes on suspected routes of infiltration were the other steps mentioned by Mehbooba Mufti, who also holds charge of the Home Department.
“Apart from these measures, the border is being manned by security forces, who are adequately equipped in terms of manpower and resources,” the Chief Minister said.
She added that the Government has also taken numerous steps to wean away the local youth from “anti-national activities” and militancy.
The steps listed by the Chief Minister included organization of cricket tournaments under Civic Action Programme to engage with the youth, meeting of senior citizens at police station level to facilitate counseling of the youth to allay their misgivings, if any, and motivate them for contribution to development of the State, establishment of Youth Clubs at police station levels to facilitate them with Information Technology, indoor games etc and enhancement of surveillance on social made as it plays major role in radicalization of youth.
Mehbooba said that 213 militants were killed and 51 civilians died in militancy-related incidents last year.
She told the Legislative Assembly that 213 militants, including 127 foreign militants and 86 local militants, were killed in 2017 as compared to 150 militants, including 119 foreign militants and 31 local militants, in 2016.
Similarly, 51 civilians died in 2017 and as many as 20 civilians died in 2016 in militancy-related incidents, she said.
Meanwhile, in another written reply Mufti told the Assembly that 320 weapons, including 213 AK rifles, 101 pistols and revolvers, four RPGs, one each sniper rifle and 303 rifle were recovered in 2017.
As compared to this, 178 AK-47 rifles, 81 pistols and revolvers, 7 RPGs and two each sniper rifle and 303 rifle were recovered in 2016, she said.
Similarly, police recovered 394 explosive devices including 305 grenades, 76 detonators and 13 IEDs in 2017, followed by recovery of 1,358 explosive devices in 2016, which includes 333 grenades, 1,038 detonators, 26 IEDs and one anti-personnel mine, Mehbooba said.
Besides, a large quantity of ammunition was recovered by the police during the last two years, she said, adding that 8 kg explosives was recovered in 2017 followed by 10 kg in 2016.
She said 46 wireless sets were recovered in 2017 and 54 in 2016.
Meanwhile, the Chief Minister said, as many as 11,290 stone pelters have been arrested during last two years in the State and were later released on bail.
Mehbooba said that, “3773 FIRs have been registered against stone pelters in the state during last two years in which 11,290 persons were arrested and later released on bail.”
She said that with regard to the withdrawal of the cases against the stone pelters, the government has granted amnesty to the first-time stone pelters during the period between 2008 and 2017.
The amnesty is subject to the condition that the parents of the accused have to furnish an undertaking that the accused will not indulge in unlawful activities in future and will exhibit good conduct.
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