Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 3: In a glaring example of discrimination with Jammu region, the Jammu and Kashmir Police has engaged 8992 Special Police Officers (SPOs) in Kashmir Zone and only 1457 in Jammu Zone during the past two years. This has clearly exposed the tall claims being made by the PDP-BJP Coalition Government about ensuring equal treatment to both the regions of the State.
This came to the fore from the written reply furnished by none else than the Chief Minister, who is also Minister Incharge Home Department to the question of MLA Altaf Ahmed Wani in the Legislative Assembly today.
According to the figures, a total of 10758 SPOs were engaged during the past two years. Of these 8992 were engaged in Kashmir Zone of Jammu and Kashmir Police and only 1457 in Jammu Zone. The remaining 309 SPOs were engaged in other wings of the Police like Armed (20), CID (100), Crime (20), Railway (70), Security (86), Traffic (5) and SSG (8).
During 2016 only 51 SPOs were engaged in Jammu Zone while as in the year 2017 1406 SPOs were engaged. However, year-wise break of the 8992 SPOs engaged in Kashmir Zone was not provided to the Legislative Assembly by the Home Department.
As per the break-up of the engagement of SPOs in Kashmir Zone, 1275 were engaged in Srinagar, 1084 in Budgam, 505 in Ganderbal, 108 in Leh, 107 in Kargil, 812 in Anantnag, 695 in Pulwama, 531 in Kulgam, 328 in Shopian, 190 in Awantipora, 859 in Baramulla, 1117 in Kupwara, 275 in Handwara, 588 in Bandipora and 518 in Sopore.
As far as Jammu Zone is concerned, maximum 362 SPOs were engaged in Jammu, 58 in Samba, 63 in Kathua, 184 in Udhampur, 136 in Reasi, 115 in Ramban, 50 in Kishtwar, 142 in Doda, 270 in Rajouri, 52 in Poonch, 23 in PCR Jammu, one each in Sher-e-Kashmir Police Academy Udhampur and Police Training Centre Kathua.
About the criteria adopted for engagement of SPOs, the Home Minister simply mentioned the educational qualification and physical fitness. However, the reasons behind engagement of more number of SPOs from Kashmir as compared to Jammu were not revealed by the Minister Incharge Home.
Moreover, the particulars of the SPOs appointed during the past two years were not revealed on the ground of concerns relating to the security.
“In view of concerns relating to the security, it is not considered appropriate to share the particulars of each SPO”, the Minister Incharge Home said in the written reply.
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