Says cant give exact deadline when terrorism would be wiped out in J&K, a road map is being followed in spirit; SPOs part of police family, will ensure maximum benefits to them

Raja Syed Rather

Jammu, Mar 17 (KNO): Jammu and Kashmir’s Director General of Police (DGP) R R Swain Sunday said that police are in touch with the Centre over the exact security forces requirement and that it will ensure “optimum utilisation of forces” to provide safe and secure environment for peaceful elections.

“There are clear cut directions from the Election Commission of India (ECI) to ensure free, fair and peaceful polls inJ&K. We have to give a secure atmosphere and level playing field for the candidates and people who are eager to cast votes. We are in touch with the Centre over the requirement of forces. More forces will come and those already here will be deployed,” the DGP told reporters on the sidelines of a public darbar at Doda district of Jammu, as per news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO). He said that police will ensure optimum utilisation of forces to provide a safe and secure environment for peaceful elections,” the J&K police chief said.

To a query about when would the terrorism end in J&K, the DGP said that question should have been how is the policy aimed at wiping out terrorism going on. “We can’t give an exact timeline or a fixed date as to when it would be over,” he said. “We are following a comprehensive policy and there is a road map which is being followed in spirit.”

The DGP also stated that the police is doing its best to provide all possible benefits to SPOs. “We will try to persuade the Government at some stage to give more benefits to SPOs in future. They are an important part of the police family and it’s our duty to take care of them and those who die in line of duty while fighting terrorism,” he said—(KNO)