Kashmir has moved ahead from days of militancy: CRPF DG

New Delhi, Oct 28:The CRPF, that secures the Kashmir Valley with more than 60,000 of its personnel, today said the place has moved ahead from the days of militancy, but warned that attempts are being made to foment violence.

"I see a visible change in Kashmir. All of you should go there. It is really now a heaven on earth and it has moved ahead from the days of militancy," CRPF chief Dilip Trivedi told journalists during an interaction on the eve of the forces' 74th Raising Day here.

The DG, who had toured the Kashmir Valley and Srinagar last month, said while peace is visible in the Valley, attempts are being made to stoke violence and stir up disturbances. "We still have to deal with militancy in Jammu and Kashmir. Stone-pelters have become a major threat...to create disturbances in the state. Since the beginning of this year, 628 of my men have been injured in stone-pelting incidents but they have shown exemplary restraint by not getting provoked and giving separatists a chance to trigger any untoward incident. The overall situation in Jammu and Kashmir is under control," the DG said.

The "militancy quotient", the CRPF boss said, in Kashmir is going down, but there are elements which are looking for a trigger and that is why they are provoking security forces like CRPF through stone-pelting incidents, he said.

"We are taking the brunt of these stone-throwing incidents but I compliment my boys and officers in keeping the situation normal and secure," Trivedi said. He said a few battalions have been withdrawn from the state to be used in the forthcoming assembly polls in five states and their re-induction into Kashmir will depend on the prevailing security situation at that particular point of time.

PTI