Will ensure peaceful, fearless atmosphere in J&K ahead of Assembly polls: DGP

Srinagar, June 08: Director General of Police (DGP) J&K Rashmi Ranjan Swain Saturday said that at times police was fully focussed and steps are afoot to keep the ongoing peaceful and fearless atmosphere intact in the UT for the upcoming Assembly polls slated by September this year.

Talking to reporters on the side-lines of Public Grievance Redressal Programme at DPL Pulwama, the DGP as per news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), said that the police was fully aware and focussed on keeping the peaceful and fearless atmosphere intact in J&K for the upcoming Assembly polls.

“We know the value of peace and a fearless atmosphere. When there is no fear, people would definitely come out to vote. So we are focussed and steps are afoot to keep the peaceful and fearless atmosphere prevailing in the UT intact for the upcoming Assembly polls,” the DGP Swain said, adding that “we would love to see the high voter turnout in Lok Sabha polls become a trigger of a virtuous security cycle in J&K.”

Replying to a query, the DGP reiterated that there is a shift in terrorism—from resident to foreign terrorism. “Our endeavour to keep the youth away from guns has borne fruit. This has saved many women from becoming widows, many families from getting ruined and many lives from going to waste,” the J&K police chief said. “But foreign terrorism is there. Some 70 to 80 foreign terrorists have come here with arms and ammunition. Recently, they tried to blow up the electricity tower that provides power supply to people.”

Earlier, addressing the Public Darbar, the DGP said police were acting tough against few culprits to provide relief to the majority while efforts are on to ensure the policing is based on “truth and justice.”

The DGP Swain said that police have to be for the people and “our endeavour is to work with the people.”  “At times, we have to act against the few culprits or accused just to provide relief to the majority,” the DGP said.

He said no stone is being left unturned and discussions take place regularly among the officers to ensure policing is conducted on the basis of truth and justice. “Sometimes, some loopholes may remain or some mistakes may take place. Mistakes committed by the police have to be corrected by the police itself,” he said, without referring to any incident.

The DGP said that Administration/government keeps on changing but police remains a force that is seen everywhere in the country. “So police is a force that always remains connected to the people,” he said.