Maintaining peace is the biggest challenge for forces: J&K DGP

Srinagar: Director General of Police, Jammu and Kashmir, Dilbag Singh on Monday said that maintaining peace is the biggest challenge for the forces.

Talking to media persons in South Kashmir after the launching of 160 sophisticated vehicles for the force, he said that to restore peace is the biggest challenge, but to maintain it is a bigger challenge for the forces.

“I feel the police forces have the sufficient resources, strength, training, high morale and are capable to take any kind of challenge that will always be a matter of happiness for me always”, the outgoing DGP said.

Dilbag Singh who retires on October 31 and senior IPS officer R R Swain, presently working as Special DG in the Jammu and Kashmir Police has been given additional charge as the Director General of the state’s police force with effect from November 1.

Regarding yesterday’s attack on a Police Inspector at Eidgah in Srinagar, Singh said the officer had gone out to play cricket in the ground with a team of officers and was hit by terrorists . He said the officer is recovering in the hospital.

”We have to be cautious as threats are still around and we can’t take our lives so lightly rather to remain more careful”, Singh added.

Regarding the counter infiltration grid, the DGP said that security arrangements are at place along the Line of Control and International border.

“The day I went to the Keran area there had been an encounter during which five terrorists were killed and today again an encounter is going on and we are collecting updates about that”.

“Our troops are firmly in control of the situation on the border”, he said and added “this year most of the encounters took place at LOC”.

They (Pakistan) have tried to push in more number of terrorists to this side and our troops are fully prepared and fully alert and aware about the designs of our adversary and able to take care of their motives and have neutralized most of the terrorists at LoC and IB, Sigh said.

“I am sure that our troops would be able to take any kind of challenge on the border and our border grid is very strong”, he said.

To a question about the ceasefire violations from across the border at Arnia sector in Jammu division, the DGP said “I see it is an aberration. The people have responded and tried to look into the causes why it happened and they are still in the process of confirming and verifying…I am not able to comment beyond this”.

Singh said the ceasefire understanding has brought a lot of respite for the people living on the borders on both sides and that has paid good dividends.

He said the ceasefire must continue and better understanding should prevail.

To another question that Pakistan may keep pot boiling during the forthcoming Parliamentary elections, the DGP said “I don’t want to speculate..they always tried to disturb the peace here and during the militancy continued but the brave force of J&K police force and other forces including Army and the biggest support of the people we have been able to eliminate that kind of the ill-intentions of the adversary”.

He said during the elections, people would be alert to take the regional challenges very carefully.

Singh on relieving his post said “I am not leaving the forces, I am with the force and I will always be with the force. A Policeman is always a policeman. I have been a policeman for the past 37 years and I will remain a policeman. He said my love will remain for the police force”.

UNI