SRINAGAR: Asserting that 94 militants have been killed in different operations in less than six months in the valley, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Vijay Kumar on Tuesday said that militancy has almost been wiped out in south and the focus will now shift to north Kashmir.
The IGP Kashmir while appealing to Sarpanches, who are vulnerable, to inform police for protection, said that security will be provided to such individuals. ”As many as 94 militants have been killed in this year.
The majority of the militants, including top commanders, have been neutralised in south Kashmir, where militancy has almost been wiped out. Our focus now will be on north Kashmir,” Mr Kumar told reporters during a press conference south Kashmir.
He said almost 25 AK-47 rifles have been recovered so far this year.
Talking about the case involving killing of a Congress Sarpanch Ajay Pandita by militants in south Kashmir district of Anantnag on June 8, he said according to eye-witnesses Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) was behind the attack.
”HM was involved in the killing of the Sarpanch? One HM militant, identified as Omar, who was recently killed in an encounter, was behind the attack. It has been confirmed by eyewitnesses. Now, only one aspect is left?
The report of ballistic forensic lab is yet to come,” he said, adding the rest of the details will be shared once the report comes.
On ‘Pakistan sponsored narco-terror module’ busted in Handwara on June 11, the IGP said investigation is underway and more people can be arrested.
”The main aspect of militancy is funding and one of the means is narco-terrorism. The drugs come from Pakistan though LoC?. Recently, we were able to bust one such narco-terror module,” he said.
Mr Kumar said ”if needed, we can even handover the case to NIA as Pakistan and other states – Delhi, Mumbai & Punjab – are also involved”.
Answering a question about a woman Sarpanch being threatened by militants, a video of which is doing rounds on social media, the IGP said that newly recruits Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) were behind the incident.
”The woman Sarpanch was kidnapped by LeT militants. A newly LeT recruit, Waleed, and a local had kidnapped the Sarpanch. The woman and her husband, who is also a Sarpanch, have been evacuated to Srinagar,” he added.
He appealed to sarpanches, who are vulnerable and are really under threat, to approach police from protection. ”We will provide protection to them,” he added. (AGENCIES)
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