Peace maintained without firing a single bullet: DGP

Arun Joshi

Tribune News Service

Jammu, August 2

The Director-General of the J&K Police, Dilbag Singh, finds the J&K security situation “satisfactory and much better than before” in his assessment against the backdrop of big apprehensions of large-scale violence post-August 5, 2019. And peace and order were delivered “without firing a single bullet after this big event,” he maintained.

Dilbag, who was part of the core group that planned the strategy to handle the situation once August 5 decisions – scrapping of Article 370 and Article 35-A and split of the state into two Union Territories, were announced , told The Tribune in an interview, “such historical decisions are supposed to have big law and order apprehensions and implications”.

‘Militant recruitment being checked’

We are checking fresh recruitment in terrorist ranks and trying to give safer and better environment to our people. —Dilbag Singh, DGP, J&K police

“There were strong apprehensions of a steep surge in violence and terrorism leading to a major loss of life and property”, but the police, in complete synergy with other security agencies, maintained peace and ensured the safety and security of people without firing a single bullet.

The DGP, who knew that all odds were stacked against the security forces, with Pakistan planning infiltration, firing at LoC and sending terrorists and setting up of terror groups in Kashmir, said “All anti-national elements seeking to foment trouble at the behest of Pakistan and its agents were strongly dealt with under the law.”

He said the J&K police had a history of fighting terrorism for over three decades and its jawans and officers had made sacrifices in safeguarding interests of the nation and its people.

Replying to a question whether Kashmir is safer now, Dilbag said Pakistan’s mischievous designs were responsible for all the trouble in Kashmir. “It continues to export terrorists of LeT, JeM, train and provide arms to outfits like the HM, Al Badr etc, besides being active in raising new groups like the TRF.”

“But we are checking fresh recruitment in terrorist ranks and at the same time trying to give safer and better environment to our people. This all would continue till Pakistan’s mischievous designs are fully contained and terrorism sponsored by our neighbour is wiped out,” he said emphatically.