Kashmir’s Islands of Peace: How the Valley is gradually becoming terror free

New Delhi, Jan 31: There was some pleasant news from the Valley earlier this month. The last standing terrorist in Baramulla district had been killed and the security agencies declared the area as an Island of Peace.

The area is declared as an Island of Peace when there is no active surviving terrorist in the district. With Baramulla being declared terrorist free, the security agencies are now shifting to the other areas of the state to ensure that more such Islands of Peace are created.

Several factors go into the creation of an Island of Peace. It would require counter insurgency operations, intelligence based operations to hunt down terrorists and also the support of the locals.

Director General of Police, Dilbag Singh has stressed on the need to ensure that more districts in the state become terrorist free.The DGP advised the police force to strive harder to maintain peace and order in the state.

He also said that the police must strictly deal with elements involved in radicalisation of youth and pushing them into terrorism. In a bid to create terror free districts, the police must identify and book persons who indulge in such activities, he also said.

He cited the example of Baramulla and said that the police had created an Island of Peace. We need more such islands in Kashmir, he said.

The need of the hour is to create an environment where the youth should aspire to be gainfully employed and the elderly can move around with respect and honour. Singh also urged all policemen to work towards this and ensure that anti national elements are dealt with a firm hand. Ensure that due respect is given to innocent people. Help those in need and distress and be fair while enforcing the law, he also said.

Security officials tell OneIndia that only encounters would not help. The police and the security forces have been winning the hearts of the locals as a result of which anti-terror operations have been largely successful.

It may be recalled that last week three terrorists were killed in Baramulla and it went on to become the state's first terror free state. Three terrorists were killed in the Binner village. The police spokesperson, while thanking the people for their support said that Baramulla has become the first district of Kashmir with no surviving terrorist.

Director General of Police, Dilbag Singh while complimenting the police said that he expected further consolidation of peace building efforts together by the police and public.

Three terrorists identified as Suhaib Farooq, Mohsin Mushtaq and Nasir Amhad Darzi of the Lashkar-e-Tayiba were killed in an encounter with security forces. All of them were dreaded terrorists, who had a long history of terror and crime. There were several terror cases registered against them.

"They were involved in the gruesome killing of three young boys in Baramulla in April 2018. One terrorist Ajaz Ahmad Gojri, who was part of the group involved in the killing of three youth, has been arrested earlier", the police said.