CC Malayalam Blog

Join News Letter

Iraq

Peak Oil

Climate Change

US Imperialism

Palestine

Latin America

Communalism

Gender/Feminism

Dalit

Globalisation

Humanrights

Economy

India-pakistan

Kashmir

Environment

Gujarat Pogrom

WSF

Arts/Culture

India Elections

Archives

Links

Submission Policy

Contact Us

Subscribe To Our
News Letter

Name: E-mail:

 

Crime Rate 13 Times More Than Militancy In Jammu And Kashmir

By Syed Junaid Hashmi

13 July, 2007
Countercurrents.org

In a state where voices seeking withdrawal of security forces from civilian areas and giving the charge to the state police are being looked upon with suspicion, official reports of Union Ministry of Home Affairs and state home department when compared reveal that incidents of normal crime reported and registered in the year 2006 are 13 times more than the militancy related incidents.

Ministry of Home Affairs in its annual report maintains that 1667 militancy related incidents were reported in the year 2006. Simultaneously, state home department says that 23, 492 cases of crime were registered during the same year. Out of these cases, 21,825 cases were related to normal policing, as claimed by a senior police officer.

The number of cases related to normal policing is 13 times higher than militancy related incidents. Further, the reports add that the number was 22,684 during the year 2005 which included 1990 militancy related incidents. Officials say that the number of cases related to normal policing was 10 times higher than the militancy related incidents.

The report of ministry of home affairs further says that when compared with north-east where Naxalite violence claimed 521 lives of the civilians during the year 2006, the number has been 389 in Jammu and Kashmir, which is a decrease of 30 percent from the year 2005.

The report of ministry of home affairs maintains that militancy related incidents have decreased by 16 percent as compared to the year 2005. It further says that the number of civilians and security forces killed have decreased by 20 percent. But what the reports have markedly suggested is the fact that crimes where normal policing is required have soared and have gradually increased in number than decreasing.

1131 cases of normal crime have increased since the year 2005. Even Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad who has been vociferously opposing withdrawal of security forces admitted in a series of meetings before the recent crisis, which led to the formation of central review committee, admitted that year 2006 witnessed lowest number of violent incidents in the troubled state since the last 17 years.

IG (Kashmir) S.M.Sahai while interacting with media persons a few days ago also accepted that normal policing needs to be strengthened. He added that normal policing has started in parts of Kashmir valley where the militancy related incidents have decreased. Another senior police officer in an interview to an electronic channel averred that cases of normal crime which include theft, murder, betting etc. have to be looked into seriously.

However, a senior police officer on the condition of anonymity said that state police is capable of fighting militancy but only if the number is increased. He further said that jawans of the state police have the potential to carry out the task given to them. "We may say that we are capable, but decisions like this are always taken at the ministerial level. Presently cases of normal crime are increasing, our strength must be increased and control of the civilian areas in the cities be fully restored to us," added the officer.

He stressed that whenever the need would arise, help could be sought from army and other central forces. However, IG (Jammu) Dr.S.P.Vaid said that army has a role in present scenario which cannot be denied. "We cannot claim that we can do everything on our own, if there is heavy presence of state police, then things might sound different but not right now," added Vaid.

He stated that if equipped properly and number is also increased, state police can do wonders. The IGP accepted that state police is returning to normal policing and it is because of this reason that number of cases of crime being registered are increasing. "Slowly but steadily, state is limping back to normalcy, we are also looking after cases of normal policing seriously," maintained Vaid.

However, politicians say that the end to the bloodshed in the state seems as unlikely as it was at any given point since the dramatic escalation of the militancy in 1989 but they maintain that security forces should be relocated from the civilian areas and control of the civilian areas be handed back to the state police.

They say that measures like the bus link and other CBMs may go a long way in removing some of the chronic mistrust between people on the two sides of Line of Control (LOC) but cannot change the internal dynamics, unless political-will to take brave decisions in favour of the local populace does not prevail over all the other issues of lesser importance.


Writer is a Journalist, presently associated with Jammu and Kashmir's highly reputed and largest circulated daily "The Kashmir Times". He can be contacted at [email protected]



 

Leave A Comment
&
Share Your Insights

Comment Policy


Digg it! And spread the word!



Here is a unique chance to help this article to be read by thousands of people more. You just Digg it, and it will appear in the home page of Digg.com and thousands more will read it. Digg is nothing but an vote, the article with most votes will go to the top of the page. So, as you read just give a digg and help thousands more to read this article.



 

Get CC HeadlinesOn your Desk Top

 

Search Our Archive



Our Site

Web

Online Users