Maintain a positive atmosphere on ground: Mehbooba to Police

CM addresses attestation cum passing out parade at PTS Manigam

‘Ensure innocents are not inconvenienced; Persuade the alienated to return back’

Lists out measures taken for Police welfare

MANIGAM (KANGAN), OCTOBER 25: Hailing the Centre’s decision to start the dialogue process in the State as a major step towards reconciliation and public outreach, Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti today asked the Police to play its role in ensuring success of the process by providing a congenial and positive atmosphere on the ground.

Addressing the attestation cum passing out parade at Police Training School here today, the Chief Minister said that the Central Government has taken a bold and major step in recent times to reach out to the people of the State and get them out of the turmoil. She said the initiative needs to be made successful by providing a positive atmosphere on the ground for which she asked the Police to play its role by acting as an element of public reassurance.

Lauding the role of the Police in maintaining law and order in the State, Mehbooba Mufti said over the past year or so many young officers and jawans of the force, besides men from Army and other security forces, have laid their lives for maintaining peace in the State. She said the display of this exemplary patience during extreme situations was praiseworthy, while reminding the audience that a decorated law abiding professional force should draw a distinction from a bunch of anti social hooligans out to trample order in the State. Maintaining this moral high ground, she said, is a challenge but given the professional stature J&K Police has attained over the years the organisation would be rising to the occasion, she said in her address.

The Chief Minister advised the Police Department to adopt a healing touch approach while dealing with the day to day situation in the State. She said while chronic criminal elements need to be dealt with firmly care should be taken that innocent civilians are not put to any inconvenience. Also, she advised the Police, that efforts should be made to persuade alienated youth to join back the mainstream society rather than going for a violent friction.

Terming the in-depth investigation of cases despite provocations and rumors as another challenge in day to day policing, the Chief Minister asked the Police to remain steadfast on its professional commitment and take the investigations to their logical ends. She said the cases of braid chopping happened in other States as well but in Jammu & Kashmir cases were lodged and probes ordered. She hoped the cases would be thoroughly investigated and persons and agencies involved would be unmasked.

 Listing out the initiatives taken by the Government for the welfare of the jawans and officers of the organization, the Chief Minister said almost all cases of compassionate appointment or SRO-43 were either settled or concluded during the last one and a half year. Also the most chased demand of cadre review was undertaken in Police to ensure better promotion avenues to the officers of the force, she added.

Mehbooba Mufti said additionally the long pending demand of pay anomaly among various subordinate ranks of Police was removed besides a three times hike in the ex gratia amount and increase in the ration money for jawans was effected. She said a proposal for more accommodation for the officers and jawans has been sent to Centre for funding adding that the modernisation of JK Police is being given a thrust with more sophisticated instruments for crime detection, weaponry and vehicles to match the challenges faced by it.

Earlier in his address, Director General of Police, Dr Sheesh Pal  Vaid thanked the Chief Minister for many of the initiatives taken for the welfare and motivation of the cadre. He said many other welfare measures are in the pipeline which are set to provide better facilities to jawans and officers of J&K police.

Around 700 jawans passed out today from the school after going through the basic training.

Senior officers of JK Police and their families; parents of the newly inducted jawans; officers of district administration and a large number of people were present on the occasion.