J&K Court Declares 23 Terrorists Operating from Pakistan Proclaimed Offenders
Srinagar: A day before Home Minister, Amit Shah, is scheduled to chair a high-level security review meeting on Jammu and Kashmir in New Delhi, a court in the Union Territory on Monday declared 23 militants from its eastern Kishtwar district proclaimed offenders. All of them are operating from Pakistan or PoJK.
Meanwhile, J&K’s DGP on Tuesday reiterated that though there has been a sharp decline in militancy and terrorism in the UT, it has not been wiped out yet and, therefore, this is no time for the security forces to lower their guard.
Finding them involved in offences including unleashing terror on India from the Pakistani soil, a special court designated under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 and based in J&K’s Doda town has while declaring 23 members of various separatist and militant organizations proclaimed offenders given them one month to appear before it in connection with cases registered against them, failing which their properties back home will be attached under Section 82 of the Criminal Procedure Code.
The officials said that, with the latest court ruling, the number of such proclaimed offenders in Kishtwar has risen to 36. Thirteen militants were declared proclaimed offenders by the court on September 16. Kishtwar’s SSP Khalil Poswal termed the declaration of these wanted “terrorists” proclaimed offenders as a “significant move to address the security challenges within the district”. He said that two FIRs stand registered against now proclaimed offenders in the Kishtwar police stations after the police through its “diligent efforts” gathered crucial intelligence regarding their activities across the border.
Meanwhile, J&K’s DGP Rashmi Rajan Swain in his New Year message to police officers and jawans has said that there has been a decline in terrorism in the UT, but it has not been completely wiped out and, therefore, the security forces cannot lower their guard. “Terrorism is down but not completely wiped out. We just cannot afford to lower the guard. The enemy is and will continue to try different tactics to derail peace. We have to defeat any such move before it takes root,” he said, adding, “Don’t let the dismantled terror ecosystem take roots or resurface even marginally in any form.”
As the Supreme Court recently directed the Election Commission of India to hold the Assembly elections in J&K by September end, the DGP asked his men to work towards peace so that voters and candidates can take part in elections without fear.
He said, “We need to be fully prepared to ensure a peaceful environment where ordinary young men and women without pedigree but committed to transparent governance and well-being of their electorate feel free to vote as voters and compete with each other to be voted to power as candidates without the fear of the lurking gun of the separatists and the soft separatists used through the hapless terrorists.”
