Killing local militants not a parameter of success: DGP

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, January 2

J&K Police chief Dilbag Singh on Wednesday said the killing of local militants cannot be made a parameter for success and described the continued violence in the state as a cause for concern.

Director General of Police (DGP) Dilbag Singh said there were more incidents of violence in the Kashmir valley in 2018 than the previous year and infiltration attempts from “across the border” also continued.

“In 2018, the law and order situation remained good but there were some sad incidents,” he said while addressing the year-end press conference here.

He said the killing of local militants, security personnel and civilians was a matter of sadness. “Despite efforts, some youths came under the influence of militancy; some local youths lost their lives which is sad. It is not a matter of happiness for us... It is not a parameter for success,” the police chief said.

He said the killing of more than 250 militants last year could be described as a statistical victory “but it is worrisome that levels of violence are such”.

The police chief said 91 security personnel were killed in the Valley last year, including 45 policemen and militants also killed 44 civilians.

Dilbag Singh said the efforts to push more militants from “across the border” continued last year as “a large number of infiltration attempts were made and a large number of infiltration attempts were foiled”.

He said 97 counter-insurgency operations took place last year. There was no collateral damage in 83 operations and 252 militants were killed in 2018. The DGP said “very serious activity on part of anti-national and anti-social elements” was under way to “radicalise a section of the youth”.

With reference to the recent waving of Islamist black flags at Srinagar’s Jamia Masjid, he said the aim was to “show there is a very large presence of such elements”. “The ISIS is not that big but the fact that people are being radicalised on those lines cannot be denied,” he said.