Srinagar: Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti said security forces should not act like militants and ransack the houses of militants. She said that if a militant, even during encounters, wants to surrender, he should be given a chance to do so.

 “I will give you (police) twice the reward, if you make the militant surrender you were about to kill,” she said.

“There should be a huge different between a militant and a policeman. Militants attack our political workers, kill our policemen. They even ransack the houses of political workers and policemen. But, security forces including police, should not do that,” Mufti said during Attestation-cum-Passing Out Parade of 13rth BRTC Batch at Police Training School, Manigam in central Kashmir.

She said a militant wears commando uniform and tries to be like policemen, but you (police) operate within a set of rules and they have no rules. “You take up arms to protect people and they take up arms to destroy them. This difference has to be there,” she said.

The Chief Minister further said security forces were law enforcing agencies and should work in accordance with the law.

“I should not receive even a single complaint that because we could not trace a militant or he escaped or he ransacked a house, security forces also ransacked someone’s house,” the Chief Minister warned.

Mufti said if such a thing happens, the initiative taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi by appointing an interlocutor to talk to stakeholders will be defeated.

“PM Modi not only appointed an interlocutor, he also gave him a Cabinet secretary rank. This has happened for the first time. Interlocutors have been appointed in the past as well, but never have they been accorded with such a high rank,” she said.

She said this was a clear indication that the PM, who was given mandate by majority of the people living in the country, wants that the people should come out of this turmoil.

Chief Minister asserted state police has to play a positive role in reconciliation programme started by the Centre to resolve Kashmir issue.

Lauding the role of the Police in maintaining law and order in the State, Mehbooba Mufti said over the past year or so many young officers and jawans of the force, besides men from Army and other security forces, have laid their lives for maintaining peace in the State.

She said the display of this exemplary patience during extreme situations was praiseworthy, while reminding the audience that a decorated law abiding professional force should draw a distinction from a bunch of anti social hooligans out to trample order in the State. Maintaining this moral high ground, she said, is a challenge but given the professional stature J&K Police has attained over the years the organisation would be rising to the occasion, she said in her address.

The Chief Minister advised the Police Department to adopt a healing touch approach while dealing with the day to day situation in the State. She said while chronic criminal elements need to be dealt with firmly care should be taken that innocent civilians are not put to any inconvenience. Also, she advised the Police, that efforts should be made to persuade alienated youth to join back the mainstream society rather than going for a violent friction.

Terming the in-depth investigation of cases despite provocations and rumors as another challenge in day to day policing, the Chief Minister asked the Police to remain steadfast on its professional commitment and take the investigations to their logical ends. She said the cases of braid chopping happened in other States as well but in Jammu & Kashmir cases were lodged and probes ordered. She hoped the cases would be thoroughly investigated and persons and agencies involved would be unmasked.

 Listing out the initiatives taken by the Government for the welfare of the jawans and officers of the organization, the Chief Minister said almost all cases of compassionate appointment or SRO-43 were either settled or concluded during the last one and a half year. Also the most chased demand of cadre review was undertaken in Police to ensure better promotion avenues to the officers of the force, she added.

Mehbooba Mufti said additionally the long pending demand of pay anomaly among various subordinate ranks of Police was removed besides a three times hike in the ex gratia amount and increase in the ration money for jawans was effected. She said a proposal for more accommodation for the officers and jawans has been sent to Centre for funding adding that the modernisation of JK Police is being given a thrust with more sophisticated instruments for crime detection, weaponry and vehicles to match the challenges faced by it.

Earlier in his address, Director General of Police, Dr Sheesh Pal  Vaid thanked the Chief Minister for many of the initiatives taken for the welfare and motivation of the cadre. He said many other welfare measures are in the pipeline which are set to provide better facilities to jawans and officers of J&K police.

Around 700 jawans passed out today from the school after going through the basic training.

Senior officers of JK Police and their families; parents of the newly inducted jawans; officers of district administration and a large number of people were present on the occasion.

Guest