SRINAGAR: In Kashmir, they are a target of militants, looked with suspicion by their employers and, worse, are still struggling with their meagre remuneration. This is in return for the dangerous tasks, including information gathering, which over 30,000 Special Police Officers (SPOs) are doing in Kashmir.
“The SPOs are part of almost all anti-militancy operations and assist police and other security forces in flushing out the militants,” a senior police officer said. He admitted the SPOs were underpaid despite doing a “wonderful job” in the fight against militancy.
The recruitment of SPOs began in 1995. Initially, they got monthly remuneration of `3,000, which was later increased to `6,000. After the Centre hiked their remuneration, the SPOs with less than 5 years of service will get `6,000, those with 5 years of service draw `9,000, and the ones completing 15 years of service receive `12,000 per month.
Although the wage hike was a welcome step, the officer said, the SPOs were paid less than an average Class-IV government employee. “This is despite the fact that they risk their lives.”At least nine SPOs were killed this year. Of them, two were abducted and killed by militants in south Kashmir’s Shopian district last week. Police sources said about 500 SPOs have lost lives in last two decades.
Still, the credibility of these men is always under radar. In July, the J&K government constituted district-level committees headed by Deputy Commissioners to assess and screen the SPOs engaged in last six years. “We are a wretched lot. We are not treated as proper policemen despite serving in the same department and sacrificing our lives. We remain at forefront of anti-militancy operations yet remain underpaid,” said a SPO from Kulgam.
The SPO said security remains a concern for them and their families. “We are at the mercy of the Almighty at our homes as there is no proper security. We cannot carry weapons to our homes. We are left to fend for ourselves in this critical time.”He added there was no proper procedure on regularisation of their service.
“Militants know that SPOs is the police’s first line of defence, and that if they manage to create fear among them, they will succeed in disrupting anti-militancy operations,” a police officer asserted.
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