Militants trying to damage infrastructure in Kashmir: DGP

Srinagar: Militants are trying to damage infrastructure facilities like water and electricity supplies in the Kashmir Valley, J&K Director General of Police (DGP) Dilbag Singh said on Saturday.

He was replying to questions on the damages caused to a transmission tower in Shopian in South Kashmir by suspected militants earlier this week.

"Damaging a tower is an attempt to damage the necessary infrastructure linked to water and electricity supplies that benefit the people so that they are inconvenienced," Dilbagh Singh told reporters on the sidelines of a function of the Border Security Force (BSF).

He said steps are being taken to foil any further attempt by the militants to damage the infrastructure in the Valley.

"We have taken some steps. I am hopeful that this case will be cracked soon and people involved will be brought to book," he added.

"Investigation in the truckers' killings is underway and some important clues are available with us about the case," Singh said while reacting to the recent killings of truckers in south Kashmir, adding that the police have identified the attackers and measures have been taken to provide security to the truckers and people associated with horticulture from outside the Valley.

The DGP, however, said that it is not possible to provide security cover in remote areas though he asserted that forces have been deployed in many areas in south Kashmir to prevent such attacks.

The DGP said this is a direct attack on the earnings of the people of the Valley who are condemning such acts.

"This is an attack on the economy and the livelihood of the people. It is being done to disrupt the daily lives of the people," Dilbag Singh said.

"Such actions are not in the interest of the people. To a large extent, people are condemning such acts. Our first priority is to help people associated with apple trade. It is not possible to cover all the areas, but majority of the areas which could be covered have been secured," he said.

The DGP also said that though there are no specific inputs about any possible militant attack, terrorists are always on the lookout to carry out strikes on security forces.

"There is no input about any major attack on October 31, but militants and their handlers always try to harm peace.

"In the last few days, our anti-terror operations have also gained pace and militants have suffered damages," the DGP added.