“Undoubtedly there is a security situation in Rajouri-Poonch. Mostly these are foreign fighters there. If you live in caves and wilderness, definitely there will be a challenge regarding information flow. The number is not so high that we cannot fight,” said Swain.
The J&K police chief further said, “it would be correct to say that some support is coming from some select persons within our territory, there is no doubt that. We are acutely conscious that their numbers (locals who support them) are very very limited.” The police chief said that the challenge is to identify these very limited people who are with them. “They don’t live in houses and mostly live in jungles and make hideouts there and this is why there is less flow of information,” he said. Swain said that the security establishment will fight and effectively deal with this sprouting situation in the Rajouri-Poonch range.
On December 21, in an ambush attack by militants four army men were killed, and later three civilians–Showkat, Safeer, Shabir–were killed allegedly in army custody, who were picked up along with few others for questioning from their residences in Topa Pir.
“We are mindful that people will express opinions and sympathy. Our job is essentially to see that this is not leveraged or is not used to further or fan disaffection. We will make sure this is not leveraged in a malicious manner,” said Swain, in response to a query regarding not permitting Mehbooba Mufti to visit the families of victims of Topa Pir village of Poonch. “We will handle the situation case to case to see whether there is malicious intent or it is a matter of free speech,” he said.
