Situation normal despite Kokernag gunfight

Kathua: Jammu and Kashmir’s Director General of Police (DGP) Dilbagh Singh Wednesday said that 400 locals have been identified who are presently in Pakistan and Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) working to fuel terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir through their supporters.

“We have identified some 400 locals from J&K who are present in Pakistan and PoK. These people are involved in running terrorism here through various means. These people work for various terrorist outfits. We have decided to zero in on their handlers and supporters here,” the DGP told reporters during his visit to the Bhalesa area of Doda.

He said that very soon these people will feel isolated and won’t be able to carry out their “nefarious designs.”

Replying to a query, he said that terrorism was at its low in J&K as major terror outfits like Jaish-e-Muhammad, Lashkar-e-Taiba and Hizbul Mujahideen are facing leadership crisis after we ‘wiped out’ their all leaders. He said there was a huge difference between Doda of the 1990s and Doda of 2023. “Today, people are living a peaceful life,” he said.

Earlier, during his visit to Kathua district of Jammu, DGP stated that after the administration handed over police recruitment to a separate agency, there are 4000 vacancies of constables in the department while deficiency is being felt everywhere.

Efforts On To Finish Residual Terrorism In J&K: DGP

“Earlier, police would conduct its recruitment drives itself. Since the recruitment process was handed over to some separate agency, there are 4000 vacancies of police constables in the department. The deficiency in ranks is being felt everywhere in J&K,” DGP Singh said.

He said that Kathua and its remote villages are maintaining communal harmony. “There are hardworking people who spend days in fields and shops to earn their livelihood. Peaceful atmosphere is prevailing in this district,” the DGP said, adding that “there is a great demand for the police recruitment drives as youth here are facing unemployment.”

He said that police had been always giving priority to border areas whenever recruitment drives were held in the past.

Asked about situation post the Kokernag encounter where two army officers and a police officer were killed, the DGP said “situation continues to remain peaceful as it was earlier.”

He said that neighbouring country always hatches conspiracies to destabilise the peace but police and forces are alert to foil all such bids.