Srinagar, March 29 (IANS) In ‘Naya Jammu and Kashmir’ the J&K Police are playing a pivotal role in addressing alienation. If a common man faces any atrocity or his rights are infringed, he approaches the police with a hope that his issues would be resolved. And in most of the cases he is not disappointed.
Till 2019, the J&K Police personnel used to remain busy in dealing with the law and order situation as the stone-pelting, street protests and shutdowns orchestrated by Pakistan stooges in Kashmir had become a norm. However, now the situation has changed in the Valley. Separatists and their henchmen, who used to take the entire system hostage, have been dealt with according to the law of the land. Most of the trouble mongers are languishing in jails and the ones who haven’t been arrested have turned silent. They are aware that their days are over and they can no longer dance to the tunes of Pakistan and the terror bosses sitting across the Line of Control (LoC).
From 2020 to 2022, the Union Home Ministry has designated 23 individuals as terrorists under UAPA. The designated terrorists include three from Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), five from Lashkar-e-Tabia and six from the Hizbul Mujahideen terror outfits.
Abrogation of Article 370, a temporary provision in the Constitution of India, has ended 70-year long alienation in Jammu and Kashmir.
After August 5, 2019 — when the Centre announced its decision to abrogate J&K’s special status and bifurcate it into two Union Territories — the Himalayan region has witnessed unprecedented development and empowerment of a common man.
Terrorism declines, normal policing returns
During the past three years, the terrorism related incidents in J&K have declined which has allowed the Jammu and Kashmir Police to focus more on normal policing and criminals.
Crime reporting has increased. Earlier, many crimes were concealed by family and society but the trust of people has increased on police and whenever there is any crime, people are visiting police stations to report it.
Investigation in criminal cases, which had taken a back seat during the last over three decades in J&K, is back in focus.
According to the officials the maximum number of criminal cases in 2020-21 and 2021-22 were reported from Budgam followed by Baramulla, Srinagar, and Anantnag, while Pulwama, Awantipora, Kulgam, and Shopian districts in Kashmir reported less number of cases.
Visible impact
The impact of abrogation of Article 370 is clearly visible. The scrapping of this controversial Article has led to the improvement in the ground situation. The government is working towards wiping out the Pakistan sponsored terrorism completely from J&K.
Security forces have been given a free hand to deal with terrorists and their supporters but the instructions are clear that no innocent should be touched.
Steps that have been taken during the past three years have brought a common resident of J&K closer to the system and he has developed a cordial relationship with the establishment.
Curbing crime has emerged as one of the focus areas. The J&K Police are following different strategies to instill fear among the anti-social elements and to prevent them from committing heinous acts.
Besides the police stations dealing with crime, the Crime Branch is also dealing with crimes of serious nature while the Anti-Corruption Bureau is handling corruption cases.
Always ready to help
After 2019, the system has been strengthened to deal with the criminal and civil cases. Residents of J&K have understood that police are always ready to help and deal with the elements that are a threat to the society.
Police are using forensic techniques to tackle and crack very sensitive cases and are adopting new and trusted approaches in getting more convictions than acquittals from the courts. Meticulous investigations being carried out by the J&K Police, preparing cogent charge sheets supported with clinching evidence followed by speedy trial have sent a clear message to the criminals that they cannot escape the law.
Tackling narcotics smuggling
Besides acting tough against the criminals, the J&K Police are fighting a battle against the drug peddlers in the Union Territory. Pakistan is using drones and other means to smuggle narcotics into the Himalayan region and sustain terrorism. The sale proceeds are sent back to Pakistan and then channelled to finance terrorist activities.
Earlier this month the J&K Police recovered seven kilograms of heroin, over Rs 2 crore cash and a pistol from the house of a notorious drug peddler along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu’s Poonch district. The probes carried out by the police unearthed interstate connections of drug trafficking, especially connected to Punjab.
According to the officials in South Kashmir, the J&K Police arrested around 200 drug peddlers in the first three months of 2023. As many as 151 FIRs have been registered in different police stations of South Kashmir against drug peddlers.
In 2022, nearly 1700 drug peddlers were arrested across Kashmir. Sustained drive against substance abuse in the Union Territory has broken the backbone of the drug mafia. Police have also busted many narco-terror modules. In 2021-22, thirty five accused were arrested while a huge contraband substance, cash, arms and ammunition were recovered from them.
Root cause addressed
Policing in the Himalayan region has gained momentum after J&K’s complete merger with the Union of India three years ago. After 1990, when a Pakistan sponsored insurgency broke out in J&K, Police faced multiple challenges and fought on many fronts as the Pakistan sponsored terrorism and separatism pushed J&K, especially Kashmir, into chaos and confusion. Handling law and order, taking part in counter insurgency operations had become a part of normal policing in the Union Territory.
However, the decision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led regime to address the root cause of all the issues, i.e., Article 370, has put the entire system back on track and people by reposing faith in the system have endorsed every decision taken by the Centre.
–IANS
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