Srinagar, Oct 12 (ANI): The Jammu and Kashmir police has started a recruitment drive for over 110 Special Polices Officers or SPOs, an auxiliary police force used mainly in counter-insurgency.

These SPOs would be hired for a year, reportedly a strategy to tighten the security of the state to ensure free and fair elections.

The elections in the state are to be held by the end of this year.

Almost 4000 unemployed young boys queued up for the test with a hope to serve their motherland.

The valley has witnessed a recruitment drive after a gap of almost 15 years. The district wise recruitment would be taken up in Poonch, Mendher and Surankot.

“I read about the recruitment in the newspaper. I went to Surankot, got the form and fulfilled all the formalities. Then they called me to Poonch for recruitment, said Simran Kumar, a candidate.

I have worked with full devotion and discipline for admission. I have passed all the tests and did everything that they asked. My main aim is to serve the country,” added Kumar.

These candidates are hopeful that their recruitment as Special Police Officers would provide them a platform to fight militancy.

“I am confident that this year I would get an opportunity to serve the nation. We pray to god that I may successfully pass these tests. People come here because of militancy. We are fed up of militant activities,” said Daheer Qureshi, another candidate.

These Special Police Officers act as a bridge between the community and the police force and help to carry out anti-insurgency operations in the state.

Jammu and Kashmir police believes that such recruitments would increase their human resource and help them work much more efficiently.

“From the perspective of the police these recruitments would provide us with more manpower. Through such recruitments the chances of getting information from every nook and corner increases” said Rajinder Singh, Deputy Superintendent of Police of
Poonch. (ANI)