Thaindian News

Srinagar, June 19 (IANS) There has been a 50 percent decline in separatist violence in Jammu and Kashmir this year, but crime levels in the state have increased, state Director General of Police (DGP) Kuldeep Khoda here said.

Speaking to reporters on the inauguration of police martyrs’ football memorial tournament Saturday, Khoda said that security forces have been exerting pressure on militants and that is why militancy related incidents have gone down by 50 percent in the state.

The DGP disclosed that as far as the numbers were concerned, more militants were present in north Kashmir areas as compared to south Kashmir.

He, however, admitted that as separatist violence was on the decline, normal criminal activities were increasing. This he said was because of “recycling of surrendered militants”.

“These people are often utilised by people for personal interests. Through vocational training, the government is planning to rehabilitate the surrendered militants,” he said.

“Weapons originally used by the militants at a certain point of time pass on from one hand to the other before these finally reach people who commit petty crimes,” he added.

He also said that the local Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) was still the largest group of separatist guerrillas here. “Incidents indicate large presence of the HM outfit. Besides, Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) groups are also present in the state,” he said.