Conflict
Will double your reward if you convince militants to surrender: Mehbooba tells Police
‘Police has vital role in GoI’s reconciliation process’
‘There were fewer incidents as compared to rumours over braid chopping incidents’
Srinagar: A day after the Government of India announced sustained dialogue on Kashmir, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday said the state police has a vital role to play in reconciliation initiative taken by the Government.
While addressing a gathering at Police Training School Manigam in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district, Mehbooba said, “Police has to maintain difference between militants and themselves. We shouldn’t do what the militants are doing. Police is there to ensure safety and security of people and their properties while as militants do the opposite,” she said.
“We can’t fight militancy by keeping common people at bay. We need to remain intact with people as well,” Mehbooba said.
The chief minister told the police that she will double their reward if the police convinces local militants to surrender.
“I have been saying it to you to make local militants surrender. I will double your reward if you convince local militants to surrender prior or during encounters.”
She asserted that the police is facing tough challenges compared to police in other states.
“In the current braid chopping incidents, police faced a lot of challenges. There were fewer incidents as compared to rumours over braid chopping incidents. Police has to deal these things in a professional way,” she said.
On braid chopping incidents, Mehbooba said, “We registered case in every incident but unfortunately people took law into their hands and thrashed innocents ruthlessly, which is also a challenge for police. Rumours are more than incidents as some people want to disturb peace here.”
She also said that people are not cooperating with police in braid chopping incidents.
“Whenever police asked the victims to give them blood samples to investigate, people refused. These challenges will continue and you (police) have to face it,” she said.
Speaking about the welfare measures for the policemen, the chief minister said that the government has built 3000 quarters in Kashmir and 2000 in Jammu.
“You can stay in these quarters safely. These quarters were built keeping in view of attacks on policemen,” she said, adding most of the grievances and issues have been addressed by the government.
On recruitment in the department, Mehbooba said recruitment was done in a transparent manner.
(With inputs from KNS)
