Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police (DGP), Dilbagh Singh, has said that anti-militancy operations will be intensified further across Kashmir and that the government forces have to bear losses of men, at times.
The DGP was speaking to press in Humhama on the sidelines of wreath-laying ceremony of three Central Reserve Police Force personnel killed in a militant attack in Wangam, Handwara, north Kashmir, yesterday. A 14-year-old civilian was also killed in the cross-firing, the police said.
“After covering their area, the CRPF men were standing in an orchard and they saw some civilians coming and asked them to stop. There were two militants behind civilians who opened fired at the CRPF men, who retaliated fully,” said the DGP. “In between, a mentally unsound boy got stuck and he also died.”
Speaking on whether militants have intensified their attacks on government forces, Singh said that security arrangements will be further strengthened and anti-militancy operations will be intensified across Kashmir.
On the declaration of Baramulla as a militancy-free district, the DGP stated that since there was no active militant in the district, however, there has been some infiltration and a few have joined the active militants in Sopore area, who were already “on our radar.”
“In Handwara, the militants were chased for three days after which they were zeroed in at a house,” said the DGP. “Unfortunately, we lost two army officers, two soldiers and a police sub-inspector in the encounter.”
“They were the same officers, who had chased these militants killed in Handwara for three days,” he added. “At times, we have to bear losses too.”
“We will continue to chase the militants involved in the attacks on [government] forces,” said DGP Singh. He also added that the government forces are maintaining close synergy and working very professionally in times of COVID-19.
“Police personnel in thousands are everywhere on roads, quarantine centres, with screening teams, contact tracing, at red and orange zones and at the same time maintaining law and order and also fighting militants very effectively,” he said. “Our men are fulfilling all responsibilities in a professional manner.” (KNO)
