Police ready for panchayat elections in J-K: DGP

Director General of Jammu and Kashmir Police Dilbag Singh Wednesday said his force was ready for the nine-phased panchayat elections scheduled to begin from November 17 in the state.

"Police is ready for panchayat elections and all arrangements will be made to ensure smooth and peaceful polling," Singh said during a visit to the twin border districts of Rajouri and Poonch in this region.

The DGP chaired separate review meetings with senior officers of the district and also held 'darbars' (meetings) with jawans, a police spokesman said.

"Rajouri and Poonch is land of courageous and brave people and had produced valiant and courageous jawans. Due to active support of the general public, both these twin border districts are free from militancy," the police chief said.

He said the state police and other forces were giving supreme sacrifices to maintain peace in the state.

"Despite being targeted by terrorists, the response of police has been exemplary," he said.

The DGP directed the officers to act tough against "criminals, bad elements" as well as drug peddlers by identifying and booking them under relevant laws.

Referring to the encounter which left three Lashker-e-Toiba militants and a policeman dead in Srinagar on Wednesday, he complimented the police and the CRPF for the successful operation. The "people of Srinagar will heave a sigh of relief" after the killing of the hardcore militants, Singh added.

Paying homage to policemen Kamal Kishore who was killed while fighting terrorists in Srinagar on Wednesday, he said police have given a lot of sacrifices for maintaining peace and integrity in the state.

Singh directed the personnel to be good and friendly to general public which will help in good policing.

During his visit, the DGP inaugurated the Barracks Block for Jawans and Gazetted Officers Mess at District Police Lines (DPL), Poonch and a Stadium-cum-Multipurpose facility at DPL Rajouri, the spokesman said.