SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir police chief Dilbagh Singh stated that Pakistan-based militant outfits Lashkar-e-Toiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed are behind dropping of arms and IEDs from drones in the UT. He further claimed that stone-pelting in militancy-hit Kashmir has almost come to an end. “The Pakistan-based LeT and JeM outfits are behind the dropping of arms, IEDs and narcotics by drones in Jammu and Kashmir,” DGP Dilbagh Singh told reporters in mountainous Kishtwar district after chairing a security review meeting.
The DGP recently revealed that security forces have recovered 16 AK-47 rifles, four M4 US rifles, 24 pistols, 15 grenades and 18 IEDs dropped from drones in border areas or during transportation over the last one and a half years.
There has been a surge in such spottings in J&K after the June 27 drone attack on IAF base in Jammu in which two IAF personnel were injured and the rooftop of one of the buildings was left damaged. The NIA that is probing the incident is ascetaining whether the drones had come from across the border or were operated from within Jammu by the militants.
The DGP said counter measures to tackle drone threat have been in place and these would be further strengthened to defeat any conspiracy against peace.
On Sunday night, four drones were spotted at different locations of Samba district including over military establishments at Bari Brahmana, Smailpur-Bishnah Road and Birpur.
In response to a question on stone pelting incidents in Kashmir, DGP said the stone pelting in Kashmir has almost ended. “This was not only by the efforts of law enforcement agencies but largely because youth of Kashmir have understood the evil intentions behind it,” he said.
While chairing the security review meeting, DGP directed the officers to strengthen anti-militancy measures to end militancy and curb activities of militants.
Stressing for enhanced cooperation between police and other security forces on ground to foil designs of militants, he directed for setting up surveillance teams equipped with latest technology to monitor and smash the supply of money and arms to the militant groups.
He emphasized that security officials must adopt the latest techniques and standard practices to expedite the probe into militancy cases.