Strong security grid led to decline in infiltration: J-K police chief

Kathua/Jammu: Director General of Jammu and Kashmir Police Dilbag Singh Monday said due to a strong security grid there was a decline in infiltration of terrorists from Pakistan in 2022 compared to previous years.

Identification of properties raised in the name of terrorism or being used to fund terror activities is in progress and appropriate action such as seizure or in certain cases demolition of such structures is being taken as per law, the police chief said.

Singh, who was in Kathua to inaugurate a T20 cricket tournament being organized by the police, said terrorist training camps are active in different areas on the other side of the border with Pakistan.

"The number of training camps goes up and down but such centres are never closed down completely. There might be no training centre opposite Kathua but these are present in other parts," the DGP said.

The cricket tournament is being held to pay tributes to police personnel who laid down their lives fighting terrorism over the past three decades.

"Infiltration (of terrorists from Pakistan) has come down this year compared to previous years because our border (security) grid is working very strongly. The anti-terror grid is also doing a commendable job and we will crush all the conspiracies being hatched from across the border," the police chief told reporters. Asked about the recent demolition of Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed commander Ashiq Nengroo's house in the Pulwama district of south Kashmir, Singh said the enemies of peace in Jammu and Kashmir and their supporters have raised properties in the name of terrorism.

"These properties include institutions and buildings that are being used to keep terrorism alive. One by one all such structures are being identified and stern action will be taken against such properties as per the law," he said.

According to officials, Nengroo's house was allegedly built on a piece of encroached government land at New Colony, Rajpora, and was demolished as part of an anti-encroachment drive.

The DGP said a drive is on to seize or seal such properties and in a case where there is also a violation of government rules or norms, such structures will be demolished following the law.

Over a series of hit lists of Kashmiri migrant pandit employees issued by The Resistance Front (TRF) -- an offshoot of terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Singh said it is aimed at creating panic and confusion among the people.

"The TRF is on our radar and we have dealt a severe blow to the group in the past and our actions will continue to finish it off. TRF is a mouthpiece of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and is working on behalf of various terror groups," he said.

He claimed that Pakistan has ruined the lives of the people of Jammu and Kashmir over the past 30 years by sponsoring terrorism from its soil and has now added one more dimension in the form of smuggling narcotics to ruin the youth and society.

"Drugs are coming in large numbers (from Pakistan) which is evident from the recovery done by the police." Asserting that the campaign against the drug menace will continue, the DGP said police are also playing a major role in helping the drug addicts who are being rehabilitated in the de-addiction centres.

"We are here to support the public who are demanding more such facilities. Many drug de-addiction centres are operational in Jammu, Srinagar and at zonal levels. Another major drug de-addiction centre is coming up in Jammu," he said.