DGP: NO BIG ISLAMIC STATE PRESENCE IN KASHMIR

SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir police chief, Dilbag Singh, on Wednesday ruled out ‘any big’ Islamic State (IS) presence in the state even as he warned that a section of youth was being radicalised. Addressing a press conference here, Singh said, “Kashmiri civil society has been an open society with secular culture. But efforts to radicalise the society are being made in certain quarters. Carrying those flags (of IS) and displaying them publicly to show a large presence has happened in the past. We say it again, their presence is not big but the fact that people are being radicalised on those lines can’t be denied.”

The DGP was referring to the incident when a group of masked men entered Jamia Masjid on December 28 after the prayers, climbed its pulpit with shoes on and waved IS flags. The incident elicited sharp reactions from religious bodies, mainstream and separatist politicians and militant organisations. He said the situation had by and large remained peaceful in 2018 but ‘some precious lives had been lost’ during anti-militant operations. 91 security forces personnel, including 45 policemen, were killed in 2018 militant violence. Out of 97 counter insurgency operations conducted, forces were able to avoid collateral damage in 83, he said.

On calls for suspension of operations where minors were involved, the DGP said, “During operations, you don’t know who is inside, only that someone is firing at you and you are firing back. On many occasions we have called family members to call out their wards to surrender. In some places, despite the families getting involved, the answer was no. We make efforts, and will continue to do so. “There are a number of things which can’t be shared publicly. But large number of men who could have gone to the other side were convinced otherwise,” the police chief said.