No policeman has resigned in J& K, says home ministry

‘ False propaganda by certain mischievous elements’

The home ministry has denied reports of policemen in Jammu and Kashmir resigning in wake of killing of three Special Police Officers ( SPOs) by militants in the Valley, saying such reports was part of a false propaganda by certain mischievous elements. Sources claimed security agencies suspect overground workers linked with militant groups for spreading such rumours in a bid to demoralise security forces and the general public to ensure they do no participate in the local body and panchayat elections, scheduled to be held in the state next month.

The ministry in a statement clarified that reports appearing in a section of the media that “some Special Police Officers ( SPOs) in Jammu and Kashmir have resigned, but the state police has confirmed that these reports are untrue and motivated. These reports are based on false propaganda by mischievous elements.”

According to home ministry officials, the J& K police was a highly professional and a committed police force which was fully geared up to meet any security challenges, particularly the ones related to coming panchayat and local urban body elections.

The J& K at present has more than 30,000 SPOs and their service conditions are reviewed both by state and Central agencies at regular interval. “There are some mischievous elements who are deliberately trying to create an impression that those SPOs whose services have not been renewed due to administrative reasons have resigned. The elements, who obviously have links with terror outfits, also are also trying to project that policemen and SPOs were resigning due to pressure and threat from these militant outfits,’’ a senior security official said. Security officials claimed that militants were facing tremendous pressure in the Valley as this year alone as many as 28 militants have been killed, particularly in South Kashmir’s Shopian area where the three SPOs were killed. “In wake of sustained pressure from security forces, these militants have been pushed to a corner. Thus, they are resorting to such incidents of violence by killings innocent SPOs,’’ the official added.

These three SPOs were kidnapped from their homes in South Kashmir’s Shopian district and shot dead apparently by terror group Hizbul Mujahideen. Reports in a section of the media indicates that brutal killing of the three SPOs had triggered panic, specially among the lower ranks police personnel, leading to the resignation of at least six policemen.