Amid attempts to disrupt peace, challenging time for J&K police to ensure smooth parliamentary elections in the sensitive Rajouri-Poonch range; High public expectations from DIG Tejinder, SSP Yougal
SALIL RAINA
(POONCH TODAY NEWS)
POONCH/RAJOURI: The twin border districts of Poonch and Rajouri remained in the news due to successive terrorist incidents from Dhangri to Bhatadurian to DKG in which many soldiers sacrificed their lives for the nation, and then repeated incidents of grenade blasts at different locations indicate that anti-national forces are still active in the Rajouri-Poonch range.
Question marks were also raised on intelligence agencies, DIGs, and SSPs for their inability to bring to book those who were involved in major foul plays from terrorism and drug points of view in the region. The Dhangri, Bhatadurian, and DKG militant attacks shook the security forces strongly, and still, those involved in the three major attacks are untraceable. The Grenade blast incident near Surankote temple and other anti-national activities in the twin border districts of Poonch and Rajouri lowered the morale of the people. But after the change of guards at the top level in the J&K police, some efforts were started by DGP R.R. Swain to form a strong strategy to counter drug mafia and anti-national activities in the J&K UT. The other day, a grenade blast near Gurudwara on hospital road was again an indication that anti-national forces are looking for ways and means to disrupt the peace ahead of parliamentary elections. The large-scale arrival of unknown people in the district for various business activities has also become a huge public concern from an internal security point of view. Although the Rajouri-Poonch range has a new DIG, Tejinder Singh (IPS), Poonch district too has a new SSP, Yougal Manhas, so people are expecting a lot from both of them. Yougal, who had enough experience in Poonch district, has to prove his worth again by forming a high-level strategy to counter all forms of revival of terrorism and drug mafia. As the policing in the Poonch district in particular and the region in general was not result-oriented, the change of guards has given confidence to the people, as the locals hope that both officers have a good track record and will prove their worth again. It’s an acid test for the new DIG R-P range. Tejinder Singh, as well as the tenure of his predecessor, was not result-oriented against various anti-national acts. People are still eagerly waiting for those involved in drug terrorism, Dhangri, Bhatadurian, DKG terrorist attacks, and other grenade blast incidents at several locations in the Poonch district to be brought to justice soon. Moreover, the poster incident in Degwar in which minorities were directed to leave the area is still unsolved, and it raised a big question mark for the agencies. In addition to the incidents of the revival of terrorism, flourishing drug mafia, increasing theft cases, road and market encroachments, reports of corruption at some police station levels, and other anti-national acts, J&K police in the region need to take tough action against all forms of evil to set the highest benchmark of professional policing for the future. Earlier, former SSPs Ramnesh Angral and Rohit Baskotra worked strongly against drugs, but after their departure, the war against drugs became weak. Ramesh Angral, as SSP Poonch, who played a strong role during the abrogation of Article 370, during a meeting with civil society members organized in the conference hall of Dak Bungalow to discuss measures to contain drugs, once received a message that a student of a famous school died due to an overdose of drugs. On getting this report, Angral was seen as emotional with some tears in his eyes, and on the spot, in a strong tone, he announced a tough action against drug terrorism and warned civil society members not to support any drug peddlers. Rohit Baskotra also proved heavy on the drug mafia, as many big assignments were recovered by him, but the same zeal was seen missing after their departure. Due to drug terrorism, many youngsters lost their lives in the district. These days, drugs like potatoes and tomatoes are available in most parts of the district, and it’s a big question mark for the security agencies. It’s a fact that Pakistan and its sister agencies have been trying hard to disturb the Rajouri-Poonch region through flourishing drug trade and acts of terrorism, and they succeeded in their attempts to some extent, as evident from the major attacks and some grenade blast incidents, so the onus lies on the J&K police to strongly counter all such moves sponsored by Pakistan. It is important to mention here that a former intelligence chief of the country said during an interview that there are hundreds of OWGs of Pakistan operating in the BG, Surankote, and Mendhar areas, and his statement was found to be true when the Poonch district witnessed BG attacks twice and then a DKG attack. The grenade blast incident at several locations in the Poonch district during the recent past is also an indication that the OGWs of Pakistan seem to be present in the areas near Poonch City, and it is an acid test for the police to identify such OWGs who seem to be working silently against the nation on the direction of their mentor sitting across the borders. Although the 2016 blast near the Shri Dashnami Akhara, in which more than 15 people got injuries during the Shri Budha Amarnath yatra days, has not been solved yet, repeated incidents of grenade blasts at several locations, particularly near religious places of minorities, and flourishing drug mafia have become a big public concern, and it is high time for the Poonch police led by SSP Yougal Manhas under DIG Tejinder to come up to the expectations of the people by winning their trust in J&K police by performance-oriented output, as the said trust was missing for years due to the weak output against terrorism and other anti-national acts. The incidents of the revival of terrorism and the drug mafia have become a big concern for everyone, and it is interesting to see how the country’s elite force of J&K police will tackle this under the new team of officers in the Rajouri-Poonch range. Meanwhile, it is a challenging task for both the officers to ensure peace prevails by all means during the parliamentary elections and assembly elections later in the year.