Srinagar, Sep 11 (UNI) Asserting that the situation is very close to becoming normal in Kashmir valley, Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police (DGP) Dilbagh Singh on Wednesday said that there were hardly any reports about youth joining militant ranks in the aftermath of abrogation of Article 370 and Article 35 A on August 5.
However, the DGP said that a total of 184 law and order incidents were reported from various parts of the state in the aftermath of abrogation special status of J&K.
'We are very close to normalcy. If you take the entire region into account, all 10 districts of Jammu have become normal. All schools, colleges and offices are functioning normally in Jammu. Leh and Kargil are also normal there are no restrictions there,' Mr Singh told reporters during a press conference here on Wednesday.
'Very minor kind of incidents took place in most of the places. Till yesterday, 184 incidents of law and order took place of which not more than half-a-dozen are of such nature where a little higher level of violence was seen in terms of stone-pelting by the civilians," he said.
Mr Singh said though heavy violence was only reported in six cases.
The DGP said due to restrain and very minimal use of force by the security forces, the causality from civilian side has been nil, barring an incident where a stone pelter got injured and later succumbed.
Answering a question, he said that there are hardly any reports of fresh recruitment in militant ranks in the valley. 'There is hardly any report of youth joining militancy recently. One of two youth who had joined militancy, where brought back in the mainstream with the help of their parents and civil society,' he said.
About when will the restrictions imposed in the valley after abrogation of Article 370 and Article 35 A be lifted, he said, 'We are considering giving more relaxation considering the cooperation of the people. I am happy to say that our people in the state in all three regions have been very-very cooperative and maintenance of law and order in Jammu and Kashmir has been very good.'
'Despite a number of law and order incidents reported from various places in the state, there was hardly any serious law and order engagement,' he added.
He further said that there have been many reports of infiltration being attempted by militants at Line of Control (LoC) and International Border from Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK). However, he said the counter infiltration grid has been successful in foiling such attempts.
Answering a question whether reports about 40 militants infiltrating into this side of LoC is correct, the DGP said they are verifying such inputs. But, he said that there is no denying that infiltration attempts are being made regularly. 'There is so much activity on the other side of LoC, that it is difficult to verify the authenticity of such reports,' he added.
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