SRINAGAR: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday directed security agencies to ensure zero tolerance towards militancy in Jammu and Kashmir and strictly enforce the rule of law.
On the second day of his visit to the state, he also tried to co-opt the J&K Police that is at the forefront in the fight against terror, asking the administration to build memorials for slain policemen. “The administration should build memorials for the slain policemen in their hometowns. Prominent public places should be named after the slain policemen,” he said.
By doing so, Shah was trying to address the perceived skew in the treatment given to slain Army and paramilitary forces, as compared to the police personnel in the state. The perception in the Valley is that the nation treats jawans killed in the line of duty in J&K as martyrs and offers decent financial compensation, while J&K policemen die unsung.
Shah visited the residence of slain police officer Arshad Ahmed Khan in Karan Nagar area of uptown Srinagar and expressed solidarity with the bereaved family. This was for the first time a Union home minister had visited the residence of a slain police officer in the Valley.
Khan was killed in a militant attack at KP Road in Anantnag on June 12. Five CRPF men, too, died in the shootout. “Khan’s sacrifice for the security of our nation has saved many lives. The entire nation is proud of his valour,” Shah said. He also handed an appointment letter to Arshad’s wife for a job in the State government.
Later, Shah chaired a review meeting of the Unified Headquarters, the highest decision-making body on security in the state. The meeting was attended by top officers, including Union Home Secretary Rajiv Gouba, Special Secretary (Internal Security) in the MHA, AP Maheshwari, Governor Satya Pal Malik, Chief Secretary BVR Subramanium, and State Home Secretary Shaleen Kabra.