16100 police men killed since eruption of militancy in J&K, say top officials, proposal to construct memorials for cops being discussed at highest level
Srinagar: Buoyed by the Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s decision of honouring the slain cops, the Jammu and Kashmir police top brass has started an exercise to identify the places and spots in various villages and towns that can be named after cops who have laid their lives since past almost three decades in counter insurgency operations.
According to the official figures accessed by the KNO, at least 16100 policemen including officers have laid their lives in combating militancy since the militancy erupted in Kashmir in 1990. “At least 1000 places/spots in villages and towns of Kashmir, Jammu and Ladakh region will be identified in the days ahead and large boards or hoardings erected at the entry points of villages or towns after the names of slain cops,” a top police officer told KNO, wishing not to be named.
He, however, said top brass of police will soon be in a huddle to finalise the proposal and execution plan. Similarly, on the Union Home Minister’s directions, memorials are also being built in some villages and towns after the names of slain offices of police force. “This, however, will be second step.
In the first step, police will name the places after the names of slain cops in various villages and towns across the State,” said sources in the police. They said that there will be also condolence meetings at the native villages and towns of the slain cops on their “martyrdom anniversaries.”
Pertinently, in the recent visit of Union Home Minister on June 26 to Srinagar, he lauded the role of J&K police in dealing with the militancy. Shah had also praised the J&K police’s efforts in curbing the local militant recruitment and the progress achieved on the anti-militancy front on in the in past one year.
Sources in the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), told KNO that the J&K police department will get special packages for the fresh project that entails naming the villages and towns after slain cops and also the constructing memorials at the native villages of fallen police men.
“Police top brass will soon be asked to submit a detailed project report and for the early release of funds for the early execution of the project. The project will be personally reviewed by the Union Home Minister in his next visit to Kashmir,” sources in the MHA said.(KNO)
