‘OGWs involved in minor attacks’
Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Jan 18: Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kashmir, Vijay Kumar, today said that they will make preventive arrests and take other measures to prevent militants from disrupting the Republic Day functions in Kashmir.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of A Road Safety Week function in Srinagar, Kumar said that militants would try to disrupt the function but police will ensure all such attempts are foiled.
“We are already ready. Naka checking and cordon and searches have been started. Our people are completely ready. Whatever technical and human resources we are having are being utilized fully.”
He said that militants will carry out some incident and “we are alert and every effort will be made to prevent it. We will make also preventive arrests.”
On anti-militancy operations and incidents of firing and grenade throwing, the IGP said that every time there is a grenade attack, pistol shooting or firing, there is usually involvement of OGWs (Over Ground Workers) of militants.
“Yesterday, I want to share with you that we arrested one person through social media and during investigations he confessed that he was to carry out a killing in Anantnag town. The reason for revealing is to inform that new youth, OGWs, are involved in it also and police is alert,” he said.
Kumar said that the dealing with OGWs is top priority of Police. “When militant comes, people know and runaway as they know what the militant is up to but in case of OGW they don’t know what is about to happen, and as such it remains our top priority”, he said.
The IGP said that the three youth killed in Lawaypora gunfight were militants and police will soon convince their parents with concrete evidence.
He said that the bodies of slain militants aren’t being handed over to families in view of the COVID-19 pandemic as people would assemble in funerals and break the COVID protocol.
“We have collected 60 percent evidence and in next 10 days, we will collect more evidence including the technical one and will first convince the parents of slain trio that their sons were involved in militancy and were providing logistic support to militants”, he added
The IGP on father of one of the youth killed in Lawaypora gunfight demanding body of his son, said that because of the COVID-19 pandemic, bodies of slain militants aren’t being handed over to their families.
“If we give body of any militant or associate, people turn up in thousands and the COVID-19 is not over yet. It will be break the COVID protocol, which would endanger the lives of people. Thousands of people will come and they either have to be dispersed by firing teargas shells or pellets. You will also criticize us then. Their burial has been carried out in presence of the families including their parents. There was the presence of the magistrate and police also. There is no logic of returning the bodies as burial does not take twice”, he said.
Kumar said that of late youth are being lured into militancy as Over Ground Workers (OGWs) as they are being provided with pistols and grenades. “Yesterday, we arrested a youth from Anantnag, along with a pistol and grenade who was tasked to kill someone. We are at it and will counter the trend through human tracking and this is our top priority,” he said.
Asked about Amshipora Shopian fake encounter and denial of army that the killing of three innocent persons from Rajouri on 18 July 2020 was done for money, he said: “It has been misinterpreted by media and social media. Money is given to the source in every encounter and not to the officer whether from police, military or paramilitary. In this case also, company commander has given the money as promised to source and the source has himself recorded before the magistrate under 164 IPC that money has been given to him. They have not said Major or Colonel has been given the money and it has misinterpreted in media and social media.”
Kumar underlined the need for creating more awareness about the traffic rules. “Every year, on the directions from MHA, road safety week is observed. The aim is to spread awareness about the traffic rules and every day there will be a new program in this endeavor,” he said.
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