Kashmir top cop reviews law and order situation

Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kashmir Zone, VK Birdi on Sunday presided over a meeting during which he reviewed the law and order situation in the Kashmir Valley ahead of the third phase of J&K Assembly elections, an official said.

The meeting was attended by the senior officials of police, security forces and intelligence agencies.

“At the outset of the meeting, the participating officers briefed the IGP about the overall security scenario and provided insights into the existing security challenges,” a statement said.

“The discussions encompassed various facets including intelligence gathering and response to various emergent situations. The district SSPs also briefed the IGP regarding the preparedness and the issues related to the current law and order situation of their respective districts,” it said.

Birdi directed the officials to meticulously prepare, plan and monitor their respective areas of responsibility to prevent any untoward law and order outbreak.

“He directed senior superintendents of police, cyber cells, Information Technology and social media cells to monitor the social media and identify the rumour mongers and those who post incriminating material. He emphasised strict adherence to SOPs and stressed upon conducting coordination meetings with the public to ensure peace and calm in the Kashmir Valley,” the statement said.

The meeting concluded with a collective resolve to ensure peace and calm in the region.

“The IGP Kashmir reaffirmed the commitment of the police and security forces to maintain law and order while safeguarding the rights and safety of citizens,” the statement noted.

Elections are being held for the first time in 10 years in Jammu and Kashmir, and also for the first time since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019. The first of the three-phased polling was held on September 18 while the second phase of voting was conducted on September 25.

The third phase of polling will be held on October 1. The ballots are scheduled to be counted on October 8.