Srinagar, Jan 20: Director General of Police Dilbag Singh Monday said there was a need to set up de-radicalization camps in the valley “to help youth who have gone astray.”
“Pakistan and its intelligence agencies have been trying to radicalize people. Some of our youth and young minds have got affected. If this facility comes up in Kashmir, it will be a good step. It should happen. It will definitely help people especially those who have gone astray”, Singh told reporters here.
Singh said people, whom they caught, did not talk sense at times. “We caught hold of some people and they did not seem to be talking sense. So some sensible arrangement of civil society, relevant aspects of religion and other thing could help. Thus kind of thing should be welcomed,” he said.
DGP’s statement comes days after new chief of defence staff General Bipin Rawat said de-radicalization camps exist in the country but did not specify the place where they are being operated.
Singh also claimed that Hizbul Mujahedeen “was nearing its end in south Kashmir” especially after the killing of three “wanted” militants in an encounter on Monday.
Singh said Shopian encounter was one of the successful anti-militancy operations of the year with the killing of SPO turned militant Adil Bashir. Adil decamped seven AK-47 and pistol from residence of former MLA Wachi Aijaz Ahmad Mir in 2018.
Police chief said all three slain militants were wanted in the killings of civilians and policemen in the area. “All these three militants had a big criminal and terror crime record. Waseem Ahmad Wani was active since 2017 and police had registered 19 FIRs against him for killing four civilians and four policemen,” he said.
Siingh said killings of other two associates of Wani “will relieve people of fear and terror.”
“Adil Bashir too was involved in the killings of these civilian and policemen. Jahangir who was active since 2017 was also wanted. This group has been eliminated, which actually is a huge relief to the people of Shopian,” he said.
DGP said the New Year began on a good note for J&K Police after successful encounters and apprehending wanted militants this month
“2020 began with successful operations. Fawad Khan along with two other militants were killed. We were successful in apprehending Naveed Babu and then busting JeM module,” he said.
Police chief noted that the case related to the arrest of disgraced Deputy Superintendent of Police Davender Singh has been transferred to National Investigation Agency (NIA).
Singh said his frequent visits to Bangladesh are being probed. “Perhaps his daughter is pursuing MBBS in Bangladesh. Whether his visit was specifically related to that or it was beyond that, we are investigating”, he said
Singh said the arrest of wanted militant Naveed Babu has “helped them in anti-militancy operations.”
“The follow-ups helped us as two big hideouts were busted in Shopian. Similar Cordon and Search operation has intensified after the arrest of two militants,” he said.
On restoration of internet and broadband, he said the government was considering restoring the service gradually in the valley.
