Neeraj Rohmetra
JAMMU, Mar 2: As a result of multi-fold strategy being adopted by security forces, the top leadership of militant outfits has been decimated and the State has been actually witnessing lowest levels of violence since past several years.
Confirming this to EXCELSIOR, Director General of Police (DGP), Ashok Prasad stated that the security forces conducted several surgical operations with tremendous synergy and the strategy is delivering the desired results.
Elated over the series of successes obtained by security forces, Mr Prasad, “we have been able to neutralise 18 top commanders of top militant outfits during the past few months and these successes have become possible with the cooperation from people”.
On the apprehensions expressed by security experts over the possibility of increase in levels of violence this year, Mr Prasad said, “we have done assessment and evaluation of the situation this year and our defence strategy is in place to counter all such threats. Militants might try to increase infiltration bids this year due to the ensuing polls in the State but the security forces have worked out a suitable strategy to thwart all such attempts, which are aimed at disrupting the electoral process”.
“To ensure free and fair polls across the State, a security Grid has been put in place well before the beginning of the electoral process. We shall extend our full support to political activities in the State and steps would be initiated to hold violence-free elections”, he added.
“Even people are fed up with militancy and local support to them is dwindling. People from all areas are coming forward with appropriate inputs and this has helped us to conduct surgical operations”, said the DGP.
“People are fully cooperating and also sharing credible information with the security forces. While conducting operations, our endeavour is to reduce the collateral damage and this has helped us further strengthen the credibility of forces”, said the DGP.
Mr Prasad, who has served in various militancy-infested areas of the country said, “even the levels of political activity across the State has increased due to reduction in levels of violence. Successful conduct of Panchayat elections despite several threats from militant outfits was a major feat for the State Government”.
“Today, the State is witnessing great transformation and people are also seeing higher levels of economic activity”, he added.
On the strategy being adopted to counter militant threats, he said, “there is greater synergy among the security forces and all the agencies are operating with the same focus to eliminate the militant ranks”, adding, “information reaching us also indicated that the outfits’ leaders and their mentors across the border are worried over killing of their top ranks”.
While justifying the use of minimum forces doctrine, Mr Prasad said, “the change in strategy has helped us minimise the collateral damage in the operations and enhance the credibility of our operations. We have also instructed the forces to function as per the Standard operating Procedure (SoP) and differentiate between the use of lethal and non-lethal weapons. The objective is to increase the success rate in our operations with minimum casualty.”
Trending Now
E-Paper
Follow our WhatsApp channel