Around 200 militants active in J&K; another 250 in launch pads across LoC: DGP

JAMMU: Around 200 militants are active in Jammu and Kashmir while intelligence inputs suggest that another 250 are waiting in launch pads across the border, Director General of Jammu and Kashmir Police Dilbag Singh said on Saturday.

In a clear reference to Pakistan, Singh said security forces are alive to the threat and on alert to scuttle the nefarious designs of the neighbouring country to disturb peace in the union territory.

The DGP also said all necessary security arrangements would be made to ensure that the Amarnath Yatra in south Kashmir Himalayas, scheduled to commence on June 28, is peaceful.

Talking to reporters before inaugurating the inter zone sports meet at the police headquarters here, Singh said there are around 200 militants active in Jammu and Kashmir.

“I am hopeful that the number will drop further this year like the previous year when the figure dropped to a large extent,” he said.

On the number of militants present in launching pads across the Line of Control (LoC) and International Border (IB), the police chief said as per intelligence inputs, the number is between 200 to 250 which is almost the same as previous years.

“We are keeping an eye on them as well,” he said.

Responding to a question about the preparations for the Amarnath Yatra, he said, “All arrangements with regard to the pilgrimage will be done like previous years including large scale deployment (of security personnel) at different levels.”

“This year too, our efforts are on and every necessary arrangement will be put in place for the safety and security of the pilgrims,” he added.

Without naming Pakistan, he said the agencies of the neighbouring country are involved in terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir for the last over 30 years to disturb peace and harm the lives and property of the people.

“We have been foiling their nefarious designs for a long time and will continue to do so,” he said when asked about the recovery of Rs 91 lakh by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) from a field in Samba district following a disclosure by one of the five people arrested in connection with Handwara narco-terrorism case.

The DGP said police have unearthed a number of narco-terrorism cases in 2020 and 2021 and every one of them is being investigated to unveil the conspiracy and bring the culprits to book.

“Some of the cases which had a widened scale of nexus between militants and narco traders were transferred to the NIA.

They too are probing these cases with full capability,” he said.

Singh said besides narcotics, weapons including ready-to-use Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), smuggled from across the border, are being seized before they could land in the hands of militants and used against civilians and security forces.

“A few incidents do take place here and there but after investigation the accused are being identified and stern action is being taken against them,” he said, assuring appropriate action against militants involved in the grenade attack in Sopore which left two policemen injured.

The police chief said a befitting response was given to every terror act.

Asked about the recent recovery of sticky bombs, he said such types of explosives are a threat because they have magnets and can be stuck on any metallic surface.

“This is a conspiracy to target civilian and security forces vehicles.

We have seized such bombs and if some of these have managed to reach terrorists, we will recover them too,” he said while referring to the recovery of a 7 kg IED in Jammu on February 14 and busting of a terror module in Awantipora area of south Kashmir which was planning to carry out a Pulwama-type attack.

“The fidayeen (suicide bomber) was prepared to blow himself but timely action prevented the attack…I want to assure that any activity, whether going on the ground or underground, is being watched and neutralised.

We are having a strict watch on them,” the police chief said.

On the Inter zone sports meet-2021, the DGP said all six zones of the force are taking part in the tournament.

“About 1000 police personnel, covering all wings of police, are taking part in 30 sports activities during the tournament.

I am hopeful that the policemen who are performing their duties satisfactorily on every front will display sportsmanship spirit during the tournament,” he said. (Agency)