Eyeing financial gains from bovine smuggling, police officials keen to be posted on Mughal road at any cost; Crimes related to drugs, bovine smuggling, theft, dishonesty are on the rise
SALIL RAINA
(POONCH TODAY NEWS)
POONCH/RAJOURI: In the Rajouri-Poonch range, the Mughal Road remained a hotspot of bovine smuggling, and some police officers made heavy fortunes for themselves and for their seniors over the years.
Even the offices of SSPs and DIG Rajouri-Poonch remained mute spectators on this issue of dishonesty by tainted police officials on this route. In addition to bovine smuggling, similar other anti-social activities also found their takers in the region, especially drugs, as some light and heavy vehicles during the night hours were regularly seen in Seri Khawaja and other areas of Surankote distributing drugs and related materials to those who are involved in this drug trade. A few senior police officers heading important posts in the past announced strong actions in front of the media against the drug mafia and bovine smuggling, but their strong gestures in front of the media proved to be only a hoax later. Some police officers, through their paid touts in the fourth estate, were seen running fake narratives that they had finished drugs and other crimes in the Rajouri-Poonch region, but behind the curtains, the story was something else as they were silently seen hitting the financial gains illegally by using all possible means. In recent years, a few police officials holding important posts in the district were neck-deep in bovine smuggling, and their silent support of the drug peddlers earned them heavily from the business. Earlier, in bovine-related activities, one high-profile police officer was managing the area from Loran to Surankote, while the other managed Surankote, Thanamandi, and Pir Ki Gali with the full support of their subordinates. They used to plan on minting money in advance, and their planning was executed by some lower-rung police officials, including some SHOs and I/C PPs from Mandi-Loran to Surankote-Buffliaz and also from Rajouri city and Thanamandi side. The entire nexus was operating in a well-planned manner, and this practice remained active during recent years. But just to hoodwink the media and senior officers sitting at range and zonal levels, some actions were taken against bovine smugglers once in a blue moon as a face-saving exercise. The majority of senior police officers were seen having multiple faces and having double standards against drugs, bovine smuggling, and other crimes. Through this Mughal road, some silent attempts were also made earlier to misuse the minds of youngsters against the nation. Despite strong routine rhetoric by senior police officers against drug and bovine smuggling, no concrete action was taken against the mafias involved in these trades. The horrible fact is that some lower-rung police officials were seen approaching different quarters within and outside the R-P range to be posted on Mughal Road. They were even seen offering a handsome favour through some sources to the top offices for their adjustment. Their questionable gesture indicates that senior officers used to get a handsome favour for posting police officers in important positions, including SHOs, and for posting on Mughal Road. A police officer who was earlier posted as SHO in an important position in the R-P range, after scripting a big deal with his boss, was later found to be involved in open corruption and earned heavily by misusing his official positions brazenly, but at the same time, he was so shrewd that he managed to get the support of political persons behind his back with the intention to use them during the visits of his seniors in the area. He is still using shrewd tactics to earn money through foul means. It is pertinent to mention here that policing in the entire Poonch-Rajouri range in recent years has remained a big question mark from a professional point of view. The Rajouri and Bhimber Gali terrorist incidents have shaken the morale of the people in the region. Plus, the inability of the police to solve the case added fuel to the already-burning fire. The absence of strong officers with a professional mindset in the region has proved to be a big concern, and as a result, anti-national forces have managed to disturb the peace through terrorism, drugs, and bovine smuggling activities without any concrete action from the police officers. Even those police officers who were labelled as unprofessional ultimately got the support of their seniors, and it clearly showed that the law is different for police and a common man. Imagine the state of affairs in the Rajouri-Poonch police range as some policemen were seen openly approaching different quarters for their posting on Mughal Road by paying a heavy favour, and this gesture raised a big question mark on those police officers who were enjoying prime postings at the top level. Were they also involved in sharing the bounty from bovine smuggling and drugs? It’s a million-dollar question that needs to be addressed by the intelligence agencies and the top brass of the police. J&K police have played a big role in the eradication of militancy from the region, but now again, anti-national forces have spread their tentacles in the Poonch-Rajouri region through different activities, and the inability of the police to foil their plans is a big concern for the safety of the people. Whether terrorism incidents, a rise in theft cases, corruption at the police station level, the biased approach of some police officers in the discharge of their duties, the war against drugs and bovine smuggling, or other crimes, only strong officers with a professional mindset can tackle all these issues. Bovine smuggling has become a routine exercise, and those involved in this need a strong dose. Those police officials who are keen to be posted on the said road with malafide intentions by paying any amount also deserve the attention of the top police brass. The other day, DIG Rajouri-Poonch range also chaired a meeting of top police officers of the R-P range in which the DIG directed them to work strongly against all types of crimes, including terrorism and drugs, in addition to strengthening the intelligence gathering grid as Shri Budha Amarnath yatra and Independence Day are around the corner. But on a constructive side, Poonch police officials were seen as professionally aggressive against recent terror attempts in Poonch district, and it would be interesting to see whether they would be able to implement their plans related to action against drugs, fake media persons, terrorism activities, anti-social activities, and anti-national activities fully on the ground or not. On various sensitive issues, senior police officers were seen using use and throw tactics (still operational) to delude all, but as far as coming up to the expectations of people through their professionalism while countering various challenges, they have not proven themselves on merit on various emerging issues, which is a sign of grave concern for the people from the security point of view. Rather than showing their concerns in the media about action against drugs, anti-national elements, and bovine smuggling, it is high time for top police officers of J&K police in the Poonch-Rajouri range to act professionally and swiftly on the ground against all emerging crimes, including illegal and fake media persons, terrorism and its silent OGWs, drugs, bovine smuggling, and related crimes, in addition to taking action against tainted police officials who have brought the reputation of police to a new low because people, over the years, have witnessed only false narratives and double standards from senior police officers and nothing concrete on the ground.