Srinagar: Kashmir’s Inspector General of Police (IGP), Vijay Kumar Friday said that local boys joining militancy was a “serious concern” for the security forces and many steps have been taken to plug the local militant recruitment while more “hard work” was needed.
News agency KNO quoted IGP Kashmir while talking to the media at District Police Lines Srinagar on the occasion of “National Anti-Terrorism Day”, saying, “Our motive is not just to kill a militant but to end militancy as well to secure the environment for the people of Kashmir.”
The IGP said a “series of steps have already been taken to prevent locals from joining militancy”.
He said from DIGs to SHOs, officers work hard to persuade the local youth having joined militant ranks to surrender. “We delay encounters by two to three hours only to allow local boys to surrender. There is a need for more hard-work and efforts to keep boys away from the militancy,” he said.
He said a “vast network of OGWs has already been busted and motivators are being tracked down.”
Kumar said that many steps by the police to bring youth into the mainstream were “on a halt in view of the prevailing COVID-19 pandemic”.
“We had taken measures that include sports activities, cultural events and other programs to bring youth into the mainstream. Let the COVID-19 wave recede, we will re-start these activities,” he said.
“There should be development everywhere in the region and we want people to live a peaceful life. It’s our responsibility to make our men stronger to combat the militancy,” he added.
