Srinagar- Inspector General of Police Vijay Kumar on Monday termed stone pelting more serious problem than then the militancy and reiterated to book those indulging in such incidents under Public Safety Act.
“When firing starts, we evacuate people and some people, miscreants among them resort to stone pelting. People from other village don’t come. We continue to identify them and some are booked under PSA and will continue to so in future,” Inspector General of Police Vijay Kumar said on Monday.
Kumar was addressing a presser along with a senior army officer here following an overnight gunfight in south Kashmir’s Shopian district.
The IGP Kashmir said that such incidents were under control and urged media not to “spread false narrative that stone pelting is increasing so that environment gets vitiated.”
To a question if there was contradiction in police’s claim that a youth who takes extreme step to take arms is allowed to surrender while on the other side a youth is booked under PSA for protesting, the IGP said: “If there is militant attack, schools and colleges do not get closed. Economic activities are not hampered nor do yatra stops or tourists stop coming.”
However, he added when there is “law and order problem”, “Yatra declines, tourist fear to come while schools and colleges get shut. Stone pelting is a larger issue as society gets involved and as such we take stone pelting more seriously.”
“Militant does not make much difference. We don’t want schools and colleges to be shut and tourists stop coming. Law and order is a much bigger problem for me,” he said.
He said that security establishment wants to ensure that schools and colleges remain open and that there is increased tourist footfall “so that people earn their livelihood and there is peace.”
Responding to another question, he said it was not prudent to believe that militants will not carry attacks. “We are prepared,” he said.
He also urged media to play role in highlighting drug issue.
Responding to a question regarding narcotics and no palpable change on the ground despite claims of large scale recovery every day, he said: When the disease is big, treatment takes time. It comes through Pakistan, Nepal and through drones.” We don’t want you (media persons) to be informers but whenever you get any such details, share it we will act on it.”
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