‘Terrorists should shun violence, join mainstream’

Kupwara: Director General of Police (DGP) Dilbag Singh Tuesday said that a minimal number of local youth had chosen the path of violence compared to the recent years which was a testament that Jammu and Kashmir was heading towards everlasting peace and normalcy.

After paying obeisance at Mata Bhadrakali temple in the Handwara area of north Kashmir’s Kupwara district, the DGP said that only 10 local youth had joined terror ranks, which was very low compared to the previous year’s figure of 110.

“Of those 10, six have been killed in different encounters and the remaining four will taste the same fate very soon,” he said and appealed to the left-out terrorists to shun violence and join the mainstream to live a dignified life.

Talking about the prevailing security situation, the Police chief said that J&K had seen a significant transformation over the last five years as terrorism had almost been wiped out from the region.

“We are hopeful that prevailing peace will last forever, which will be beneficial for the overall development of the region,” he said.

Singh urged the people of the entire Kupwara district to stand against the narcotics trade.

“People on their own have to recognise the harm in the narcotics trade and stand against those involved in the trade so that peace can prevail,” he said.

Earlier, the DGP along with Senior Superintendent of Police, Kupwara, Yougal Manhas, SDPO Handwara, Satish Kumar, and other Police and Army officers paid obeisance at Mata Bhadrakali in Handwara.