Significant shift from “resident terrorism” to “foreign terrorism” in J&K: DGP

Jammu, June 1:  Director General of Police (DGP) R R Swain Saturday asserted that there was a significant shift from “resident terrorism” to “foreign terrorism” in J&K, thus making the security challenge “overwhelmingly external.”

He said that it was “just a question of time (for security forces) to comprehensively defeat” foreign terrorists or mercenaries.

Pointing out that the gigantic “security architecture”, put in place for conduct of peaceful, incident-free (parliamentary) polls in the Union Territory, was of “Himalayan scale”, the top cop of J&K reassured that a layered security was in place for counting centres also.

DGP was responding to media queries on the sidelines of an event at Police Public School, Jammu.

He said that the large-scale participation of people in it (election process) was very heartening and it had an “overall benign effect on the security environment.” Swain asserted that a kind of virtuous cycle of security got triggered because of people’s large-scale participation (in the election) and it made them (JKP and other security forces) happy as after all, “security was for people only.”

He also described the conduct of “smooth and incident-free polling” with the “high participation” as a “vote and victory for the people of Jammu and Kashmir.”

LS POLL SECURITY ARRANGEMENT WAS A MEGA EFFORT

In response to a question related to security arrangements put in place for ensuring a peaceful (Lok Sabha) election process, DGP stated that it was a mega effort.

“The size and scale of security arrangements were of Himalayan scale. For example, around six thousand vehicles we had hired for mobilisation. Figures are with us which can well depict the scale of arrangements made for (the conduct of) road shows; public rallies; security of candidates, dispatch, distribution and collection centres,” he said.

Further substantiating on this account, he cited the example of arrangements made for Anantnag-Rajouri parliamentary constituency.

“Like, in the case of Poonch and Rajouri areas, our last parties had to trek through treacherous hilly areas including Hill Kaka for six-and-a-half hours. So to retrieve them, safe and secure from those difficult areas and to create an enabling environment for unhindered, even overnight campaigning, keeping in view the present circumstances of J&K, we had set up a gigantic temporary security architecture with great planning and coordination. This security architecture comprised army, CRPF, rest of CAPFs while (Jammu Kashmir) Police along with (its) Armed Police (wing) was working as (its) major co-ordinating centre (agency) for putting system (of security arrangements) in place (right) from the transit camp to collection centre; from security to polling booths,” DGP said.

“Take for example, in one constituency as in case of Anantnag-Rajouri parliamentary constituency; there were around 12,000 polling booths, only in valley. So, these were very large numbers of places that were to be secured besides polling parties, polling officials. Thus these were large-scale operations which were undertaken,” he elaborated.

Sharing his joy over the overwhelming participation of people in the poll process; its positive impact on security set-up, Swain said, “We’re very happy that the people have exercised their franchise in large numbers. A kind of virtuous cycle of security has got triggered because of people’s participation, especially youngsters and women have come out in large numbers to participate. We believe other than the satisfaction of having arranged the security for the conduct of elections; it has an overall benign effect on the security environment.”

“We are happy. It’s all because of the people. Finally it’s the people. Everything is for the people. (For us), security is not for ourselves; it’s for the people. So, the conduct of the election was smooth and incident-free but with high participation; all of it goes as a vote and victory for the people of Jammu and Kashmir,” DGP said.

TIERS OF SECURITY IN PLACE FOR COUNTING

Regarding security arrangements in place for counting, DGP Swain stated that in this connection, there were detailed guidelines of the Election Commission of India (ECI).

“There have been cameras installed (inside the counting centres). They will be fully under CCTV coverage. There will be tiers of security. There’s not even a single collection centre where at least two companies are not deployed. Since the day, it has been declared as a collection or counting centre, there has been a 24X7 layered-security there,” he said.

Swain informed, “Access control, anti-sabotage checks have been taking place regularly and 24X7, they have been under focus of CCTV. Today is June 1 and the counting will take place on June 4. Second and third-tier security will also be put in place there, by June 2 and 3.”

PRESENT SECURITY CHALLENGE IN J&K OVERWHELMINGLY EXTERNAL

When asked about the progress of search operations launched in different areas of Jammu region, following terror incidents or reports of sighting of terrorists there, DGP said, “Briefly, I will deliberate on this aspect though earlier also on certain occasions, I’ve briefed about it, particularly, Rajouri, Poonch - they are completely border districts. There’s one aspect, at present, our security challenge is overwhelmingly external (in J&K). This means that in the present circumstances, you cannot describe it as “resident terrorism”, if I may use this expression. Four to five years ago, there was a challenge of “resident terrorism.” Like, you had 150-200 local youth, who were misled and joined terrorists’ ranks.”

Asserting that there was a changed scenario, at present, Swain said, “Today, there are 20-22 such youth (local terrorists), so there's a serious and significant change from “resident terrorism” to “foreign terrorism.” There used to be “foreign terrorism” and at present it’s mostly about that.”

Elaborating further on this account, he said, “It’s mostly about terrorists coming from across (the border) and they are mercenaries. They are paid. As far as our information is concerned, most of them are from poor families and are also retrieved from jail with the commissioned money and are asked to go.”

Swain stated, “They (mercenaries) are poisoned and they’re fed with a toxic ideology of killing people whom they don’t know. It’s about random killing of defenceless people. Yes, when they get an opportunity, they do engage the security forces but essentially or say primarily, they have come to ensure (that) they intimidate the regime. See, they used to run their regime by instilling fear. By spraying just one bullet; they would instil fear among ten other people.”

“Now that has ended and it has created trepidation (among terror sponsors). They want that there should be at least 10-15 assassins at their command to spray bullets on people, as and when they instruct. That challenge is there for us. We don’t deny it and we accept that challenge. We have gained knowledge about their numbers; we’ve started understanding their strategy; tactics; their communication and modus-operandi. We have learnt a lot. It’s only a question of time when we’ll comprehensively defeat them,” DGP Swain asserted.