Encounter sites not marriage venues, says JK DGP; urges youth to stay away

Encounter sites are not the venues of "marriages of terrorists" for youngsters to rush as bullets do not differentiate between stone pelters and militants, Jammu and Kashmir police chief S P Vaid said on Thursday.

In a first, the state Director General of Police (DGP) took to micro-blogging site Twitter to participate in a live broadcast where he took questions on a range of issues.

During the interaction, held a day after four civilians died in the crossfire during a gunfight in the Kulgam district, Vaid reiterated his appeal to the youth to not flock to encounter sites.

Let me tell you that no citizen of India would like any civilian killing. We have been repeatedly requesting people not to come near the encounter sites," he said.

When bullets fly, whether fired by the militants, Army, paramilitary or the police, they do it in a trajectory, he said.

"They will not look for the chest of a particular person; it can hit anybody. It is not advisable to come near the encounter sites, he said adding that it pained him and the forces most if a civilian died.

Civilians, he, however, insisted had no business to be present at encounter sites.

"Marriage of militants is not going on that these boys are coming near the encounter sites, he said.

Vaid said he did not favour snapping of internet to maintain law and order in the valley but was forced to take such a decision.

I am absolutely against snapping of internet. However, the problem is that some mischievous elements resort to misuse of it and spread hatred, false propaganda and even instigate young boys, he said.

He said police was working on various methods to ensure minimum civilian casualties and minimum disruption of work in education institutions besides keeping away educated youth from joining terror ranks.

Asked about the Kashmir problem, Vaid asserted that the gun and violence were no solution to the issue and favoured a dialogue between the parties involved.

"I wish the Kashmir problem was so simple that I could answer it in one reply. So many players are working for decades to find out a solution to Kashmir. But this is not a simple thing. Personally I feel the gun is not the solution, the police chief said.

Let every party concerned, including our neighbour (Pakistan), understand that the only way out is to sit together, talk and sort out the problem, he said.

Vaid agreed with a questioner that national media was not playing a constructive role on the situation in Kashmir.

National media is not playing a very constructive role and efforts are on to counsel them along with the local media not to hurt the sentiments of Kashmiri people, he said.

Referring to the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani and subsequent protests, he said it was the most challenging time of his career. Post Burhan situation when I was given the charge as special DGP law and order was the most challenging task, he said.

Asked why police did not act against Army personnel, he said cases were registered whenever incidents of human rights violations came to notice.

Army has protection under AFSPA and before starting any criminal proceeding, the sanction of government of India is required under the law of the land. Police since 1990's registered cases where such incidents happened or came to our notice. We have been taking them up with government, he said.

On the presence of terror group Islamic State in Kashmir, he said ISIS was basically a thought and a radical idea. I wish it doesn't come here, he added.

He said amnesty given to "first time stone-pelters stands and anyone can even approach now.

He ruled out the use of chemical weapons against holed up militants and said no human force can think of it. These rumours are set from Pakistan, Vaid said.

He termed as frivolous the charges that the youth from interior Srinagar were being harassed by police on the pretext of being stone pelters and hefty amounts of money were being taken from them.

I have also come across such complaints which mostly are frivolous. If there is any genuine complaint let the person come forward, we will take strict action, he said.