Govt to make Srinagar bunker free

CRPF bunker removed from Lal Chowk

Fayaz Bukhari

align=”aligncenter” width=”500″ caption=”CRPF personnel removing their bunker at pladium cinema in Srinagar on Friday. —Excelsior/Amin War”][/caption]
Srinagar, Apr 20: An over two-decade old bunker of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) was today removed from Kashmir valley’s historic city centre Lal Chowk as part of Government’s programme to make Srinagar city bunker free.
The bunker was established in early 1990s in the Pladium Cinema in historic Lal Chowk and was housing Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) that was deployed for counter insurgency in the city.
The bunker was looking after security of Lal Chowk and its adjoining areas and was housing company headquarter of F-Coy of CRPF’s 132 battalion.
A small number of CRPF and Police personnel will, however, remain in the bunker for the security of the place. A mobile bunker of police will look after the security of the city centre that has seen maximum number of attacks and maximum number of killings during 22 years of militancy in the State.
The entire Lal Chowk area was cordoned off early in the morning and no movement of the traffic was allowed as Minister of State (MoS) for Home, Nasir Aslam Wani, Director General of Police, Kuldeep Khoda, Inspector General of Police Kashmir S M Sahai, DIG Central Kashmir Abdul Gani Mir, SSP Srinagar Aashiq Bukhari and senior CRPF and police officers and shopkeepers were present on the occasion for the removal of the bunker.
Local residents and shopkeepers had long been demanding the removal of the bunker that was making pedestrians and shopkeepers vulnerable to being caught in gunfights between the security forces and militants as this bunker was being targeted by militants often.
Last time a Fidayeen attack took place in Lal Chowk in January 2010 in which two militants and a police man was killed while several other policemen were injured.
Speaking at the function on the occasion of the removal of the bunker Minister said that more bunkers will be removed from Srinagar city in coming months and Government wants Srinagar to be security force bunker free.
The MoS said that, however, a police post will be established in Lal Chowk and there will be enough presence of security forces for the security of the place. He said that the city centre has witnessed the highest causality during 22 years of militancy in the State.
Nasir said that so far 40 bunkers were removed from Srinagar city after improvement in the security situation in Srinagar city and more bunkers would be removed soon. He hailed the police and CRPF for restoration of normalcy in Srinagar and other parts of Kashmir valley.
The MoS said that top priority of the Government to ensure security and safety of the people and despite removal of the bunkers security forces will ensure the security of the city.
Speaking on the occasion, DGP Kuldeep Khoda said that CRPF is playing a role of multi-tasking in Srinagar city and other places and it was due to joint efforts of the forces that normalcy has returned to Srinagar city. He said that despite removal of the bunkers the security forces will continue to maintain their presence to keep Srinagar city safe.
It may be mentioned here that Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has been eagerly pursuing the cause for reducing the footprints of security forces in the State.
He is also advocating revocation of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) from four districts of Srinagar, Badgam, Jammu and Samba to begin with.