STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: In a stern warning to Pakistan-based terror groups operating in Jammu and Kashmir, Director General of Police (DGP) Nalin Prabhat on Friday said his force would not sleep or take rest as long as India’s impure neighbour (Pakistan) and its (terror) organisations were not dealt with appropriately.
Talking to reporters after leading the wreath-laying ceremony of three police personnel who laid down their lives fighting Pakistani terrorists at district police lines in Kathua, the DGP said their loss will not be compensated by words but by deeds.
He said four police personnel and two Pakistani terrorists were martyred in the ongoing operation in the remote Ghati Juthana forest area of Rajbagh and it was the same group of terrorists who were intercepted by police in Saniyal village near the International Border in Hiranagar sector on March 23 evening.
“Neither the intention of J&K Police was weakened nor is our goal far away from us. Our goal is clear and so is the intention. There is no lack of passion as J&K Police is the only force in the country that is writing its bravery and sacrifice in golden words.
“We will not sleep or take rest as long as our impure neighbour (Pakistan) and its (terror) organisations are not dealt with appropriately. This war is going on and will continue. There will be no dilution in our intention,” the police chief said.
Bodies of three policemen — Balwinder Singh Chib, Jaswant Singh, and Tariq Ahmed — were retrieved from the scene of the encounter on Friday evening and after post mortem were taken to District Police Lines Kathua where the DGP, Inspector General of Police, Jammu, Bhim Sen Tuti and other senior officers of Army, BSF, CRPF and the police paid floral tributes to them.
Former J-K BJP president Ravinder Raina and several other politicians also joined the wreath-laying ceremony.
Confirming that the terrorists holed up in Rajbagh are the same group of terrorists who were earlier intercepted in Hiranagar sector, the DGP said a small team of police comprising five members confronted the terrorists hiding in a nursery after getting information from the locals at Saniyal village on March 23.
“The Pakistani terrorists fled the scene leaving behind four carbine magazines, three Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), two grenades and other material. Reinforcements from the police, Army, CRPF and BSF rushed to the scene and a massive search was launched which continued for four days,” he said.
After getting a fresh input, a search operation was launched on Wednesday evening and there was a fire-fight between the terrorists and one of the police parties on Thursday morning, he said.
Prabhat said two Pakistani terrorists were eliminated in the initial gunfight but when the police party was climbing the hill, the terrorists taking advantage of their dominating position martyred four brave jawans.
“You have seen the topography of the area, the caves, boulders and the dense forest. Our priority was to retrieve the bodies of our martyrs to perform their last rites and it was successfully done. The operation will continue and we are hopeful of completing it by tomorrow (Saturday) evening,” he said.