In a major confidence building measure, Government of India (GoI) is planning 25 per cent reduction in troops posted in its administered Kashmir , removal of more security bunkers from Summer capital Srinagar and repeal of AFPSA from urban areas.
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In a major confidence building measure, Government of India (GoI) is planning 25 per cent reduction in troops posted in its administered Kashmir , removal of more security bunkers from Summer capital Srinagar and repeal of AFPSA from urban areas.
“We are considering the reduction in presence of troops in Kashmir,” Home Secretary G K Pillai said at a seminar, 'What is the way forward in Jammu and Kashmir' in national capital.
He said the government wished to do more in terms of troop reduction - a popular demand of various mainstream and separatist political parties. “There will be a 25 percent reduction of security forces in Jammu and Kashmir, especially from populated areas, in the next 12 months. We would like to reduce it as soon as possible depending on the ground situation. But there is a fear of backlash (from militants),” he said.
The home secretary said more troops would be removed from Srinagar city in the next few months. The proposal to further reduce the presence of security forces in the state comes after a prevailing calm in the Valley following the months of unrest in summer that left 112 people dead in police and paramilitary personnel firing.
Pillai said the removal of troops from populated areas was part of the eight-point agenda the government had approved last year as part of building confidence of Kashmiris.
“We want the presence of troops in the State as minimum as possible,” Pillai told media men later on the sidelines of the symposium organised by the Jamia Millia Islamia University here.
He said the government was re-training 10 battalions of state police, who can take charge of the law and order situation. “This has already started. They would not be carrying guns in case of any local law and order situation. They will have sticks and shields to manage protesting crowds,” he said.
The retraining of local police personnel apparently comes in the wake of widespread criticism against police and paramilitary troopers, who last year opened fire at protestors, killing 112 civilians during the five month long unrest last year.
