Implement more security measures to prevent terror incidents: Kashmir police chief to officers

Kashmir police chief Vijay Kumar Wednesday directed officers to implement additional security measures to prevent terror incidents in the valley and introduce innovative mechanisms to ensure neutralisation of militants.

Kumar, the Additional Director General of Police, Kashmir, along with general officer commanding (GoC) of south Kashmir-based counter-insurgency force, Victor Force, visited Pulwama, Kulgam, Shopian and Budgam districts where he chaired security review meetings with officers of police and Army, a police spokesman said.

The ADGP also directed the officers to conduct precision-based operations with special teams and introduce innovative and handpicked mechanisms to ensure the neutralisation of terrorists.

At the onset of these meetings, the senior superintendents of police (SSPs) of these districts briefed the chair about the prevailing security scenario of the districts and steps being taken towards anti-terrorism preparedness and maintenance of law and order to further ameliorate the security situation in the area, the spokesman said.

Kumar acknowledged the determined efforts of J-K Police and security forces in upholding law and order within these districts. An adumbrated overview of the districts was taken, and specific guidelines were issued to officers to achieve targeted outcomes. The Pulwama SSP was specifically directed to identify and take strict action against Over Ground Workers (OGWs) involved in the recent recruitment of two new individuals into terror ranks in the district, the spokesman said. Kumar directed the officers to implement additional security measures in order to prevent terror incidents. The process for identifying hybrid terrorists and taking appropriate actions were also discussed in these meetings. The ADGP also laid stress on strengthening the police-public relations, service-oriented policing which will help in gaining the confidence and trust of general public.

The spokesman said these meetings provided a platform for an insightful assessment of the prevailing security environment, counter-insurgency operations, and the strategies in place to sustain the atmosphere of peace and tranquillity. He said special focuses were given on actual numbers of foreign terrorists, their movement patterns and gathering of ‘humint’ and launching joint operations. The GoC Victor Force directed all sector commanders and commanding officers to dominate area in night and conduct operations along with the police. The GoC stressed upon greater synergy amongst field officers. Later on all field officers shared actual number and identification of hybrid terrorists. These meetings further accentuated the importance of fostering robust police-public relations and adopting a service-oriented approach to policing, the spokesman said.