*Militants, hawala networks hit by demonetization
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Dec 19: Police today said they have very credible and specific inputs about the involvement of Pakistan involvement in five month long unrest in the Kashmir valley and that protest calendars issued by the Hurriyat Conference during the unrest period had been dictated by Pakistan.
Police said demonetization has hit militants and hawala operators very hard and their funds have been completely choked in Jammu and Kashmir, which has compelled the militants to commit bank robberies.
Director General of Police (Law and Order) Dr Shesh Pal Vaid told the Excelsior that investigations into Kashmir unrest, questioning of 893 persons arrested during turmoil and other specific inputs have established beyond any doubt that there was complete involvement of Pakistani agencies behind the unrest, which has largely been controlled now and situation was returning towards normalcy.
Dr Vaid, the senior most police official in line for coveted post of the DGP after completion of extension by K Rajendra, said there were “very specific and credible inputs” that protest calendars issued by the Hurriyat Conference to spread the unrest in the aftermath of July 8 killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani, were dictated from Pakistan.
“We have evidence that protest calendars of Hurriyat Conference were dictated from Pakistan. There was complete involvement of Pakistan behind the unrest and we have irrefutable evidence of that,” Dr Vaid, who was camping in the Valley for past two months to control the unrest, said.
He added that unrest in the Valley has been controlled to quite an extent now and Kashmir was largely heading towards normalcy.
“The unrest period is virtually over. Situation is returning to normal. The game plan of Pakistan to keep the pot boiling by fuelling unrest through its sponsored militants has been foiled by the police,” the Special DGP (Law and Order), who was monitoring situation in the Valley, said.
Dr Vaid said demonetization has also hit the militancy, their Over Ground Workers and hawala operators and Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) has now started committing robberies in the banks for funding.
He said LeT militant Abu Ali and Ismayil have been identified behind the bank robberies that have been committed after demonetization in the Valley. They have the patronage of LeT commander Abu Dujana. In fact, he added, Ismayil was also involved in Saturday’s terror attack on an Army convoy at Pampore.
Asserting that police have identified the militants behind Pampore attack on Army convoy and those behind bank robberies, Dr Vaid, who has been an expert in handling of militancy and law and order situations and was also injured during his stint as the DIG Baramulla, said all these accused would either be eliminated or captured alive shortly.
The CCTV footage of bank robberies have given police vital leads about identity of the militants, he said.
Dr Vaid disclosed that police have arrested 893 accused so far, who were fuelling Kashmir unrest. Of them, 520 have been booked under the Public Safety Act (PSA) while 373 have been charged with different other offences.
A total of 8371 arrests were made during the Kashmir unrest period. Of them, 6681 people were arrested while 2682 others were detained as pre-emptive measures. Barring 893 people, who have been arrested under PSA and other offences, rest have been bailed out by the courts.
“There was massive police action to control the militancy and the unrest in Kashmir valley to restore normalcy and give peace to the people,” Dr Vaid said, adding that in the process a total of 4113 security personnel including 3537 police jawans and 556 CRPF personnel were injured while two cops were martyred.
The DGP Law and Order said the police action against the militants has brought results and police with the help of other security agencies have neutralized 150 militants this year so far as against 105 of last year.
He added that there has been massive Pakistan involvement to push the militants from Line of Control (LoC) and International Border (IB). While majority of these infiltration attempts are thwarted, some militants did manage to sneak-in.
Dr Vaid said that a total of 2380 incidents of law and order were reported during Kashmir unrest since July 8, which were on massive decline now. In July, 820 incidents were reported. Number of the incidents was 747 in August and 535 in September, which declined to 179 in October, 73 in November and just 25 during first 19 days of December.
He said the militants and their agents had tried to mislead the local people to take destructive path of violence but the people have now started realizing the situation.
He said a total of 131 Government establishments were damaged in the unrest period. While 78 buildings were set ablaze, 53 others were damaged. The buildings included police stations, police posts, schools etc.
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