Residents in Kashmir border areas get multi-purpose identity cards

Kathua, Mar 6 (ANI): Residents living in border areas of Kashmir are being provided with special cards by authorities to help identify them as Indian nationals and to check infiltration into the state.

The Multipurpose National Identity Cards (MNIC) are being provided by the Interior (Home) Ministry to all citizens at the age of 15 years and above. It will provide them with credible fool proof about individual identification and also to keep check on infiltration.

The cards will help the police and the Army to distinguish the Indian nationals from the militants living in the guise of the locals in the state.

"As far as this MNIC card is concerned, this is very useful for security purposes, and for agencies who are after these militants. With the induction of this card, we can identify between right and wrong person," said P.P. Singh, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Kathua.

The MNIC carries a micro-chip giving full information of a person along with a photograph of the person. It will prevent instances of detention by the army or police on mere suspicions of links to militant outfits.

"This card will prevent the arrest and detention of innocents by the police and army. Many a time innocents used to be arrested under suspicion of being militants, but this card will help prevent that," said Omprakash Khajuria, a resident.

The micro-chip also prevents the duplication of an MNIC, which is valid up to a period of ten years.

"We used to hear about reports stating that many duplicate cards were also being used by the people. But these cards are so well made that it is difficult to duplicate them," said Rajinder Kumar, another resident.

These MNIC cards will prove to be an effective way to keep a check on the infiltrators by segregating them from the Indian nationals.

India blames Pakistan for orchestrating the infiltration of insurgents into Kashmir which has caused trouble in the region. By Pradeep Sharma (ANI)