Hockey and Football Will Revitalize Downtown and Remove a Spot on Its Reputation, Says Dilbag Singh

SRINAGAR:Jammu and Kashmir’s Director General of Police (DGP), Dilbagh Singh, stated on Tuesday that militancy in the Valley was down but not yet fully eradicated, as some elements continue to try and disturb the peaceful atmosphere in the region.

Speaking to reporters at the culmination of the J&K Police Martyr’s 19th Football Tournament final in Srinagar, DGP Singh said that “terrorism in Kashmir was down but not completely eradicated yet.”

He mentioned that some elements are trying to disrupt the peaceful environment in Kashmir, and the missing case of a soldier in Kulgam is one such attempt. “We have obtained some vital leads in the case and are hopeful to crack it soon. We will reach the bottom of the case shortly. It would be premature to comment further on the matter as investigations are in full swing,” the DGP said.

Regarding the 5th-anniversary roll-back of Article 370 on August 5, when asked about how he sees the ground situation in Kashmir, the DGP stated that change is visible, as areas that were previously considered inaccessible are now being explored by tourists.

“There are hardly any law and order incidents. The number of terrorists is at an all-time low. Tourists are visiting downtown areas and praising its beauty,” he said, adding that life is going on smoothly. “There is an unprecedented flow of tourists in Kashmir, and the Amarnath Yatra mega event is progressing successfully and peacefully. Additionally, after a gap of 34 years, the Muharram procession was taken out in Srinagar, reflecting that people are enjoying the peaceful environment.” Regarding the possibility of foreign terrorists being involved in the missing case of the soldier in Kulgam district, the DGP said that nothing is clear as of now, but “yes, there are inputs about the presence of foreign terrorists in South Kashmir, and they are being tracked down.”

Concerning narco-terrorism, the DGP stated that efforts are being made from across the border to send huge consignments of narcotics, but “the police are foiling almost every attempt successfully.” “We are cracking down on suppliers and the chain involved in narco-terror. We have seized huge consignments of narcotics this year too,” he said.

Earlier, in his speech, the DGP expressed happiness at seeing great enthusiasm among boys and girls in football. He mentioned that downtown boys and girls have great talent, and the police will organize a mega event downtown soon.

“Football’s kick and hockey stick will remove the blot on downtown’s face. Enough negativity of downtown has been witnessed in the past, and it’s time to showcase its beauty and talent,” the DGP said. The DGP also distributed trophies among the winning team.(KNO)