Srinagar, Sep 14 : Security Forces on Saturday revealed that at a time when communication gag continues to remain in place across Kashmir, they have changed their style of operations and their primary focus at present is to persuade gun-wielding local youth through “silent surrenders.”
Reliable sources told wire service, that due to the communication gag in Kashmir since August 5, only two encounters took place that too in a one particular area—Sopore area of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district. “The reason for declining number of encounters is that security forces loss the technical intelligence that was fully dependent on mobile phones. But ever since the mobile phone service and internet was barred across Kashmir on August 5, there was a steep decline in the number of encounters,” sources said.
Additional Director General of Police, Law and Order/Security, Munir Khan said that the new style of working that the security forces have started in Kashmir entails “silent surrenders.” “The mobile phone network service remains to be snapped but that has not affected our way of acting against militants. We have adopted more humane approach towards local boys wielding gun and that is to persuade them for surrenders,” he said that numbers need not to be divulged before the press. “But I can tell you that the number is very high,” Khan said.
Sources in police told that police and other security forces including Army have been in a constant touch with the family members of local boys who have picked up guns across Kashmir especially in the southern Kashmir’s Pulwama, Kulgam, Shopian and Anantnag besides, Sopore, Kupwara, Bandipora and Handwara.
“Families are counseled through senior most and trained police and soldiers to persuade their sons who have choosen wrong path, to return and join back their families,” sources in the security grid revealed. They said that in absence of mobile telephony, new and different ways to act against militants have been adopted. “It is always better to get back the misguided youth rather than killing them in encounters,” he said.
Meanwhile, ADGP Khan said that presently security forces are facing Cease Fire Violation (CFVs) are taking place everywhere on LoC. “There is CVF at Uri, Rajouri, Poonch, R S Pura, Karnah and other places as well,” he said. (KNO)
