Mehbooba advocates for 'humane approach' to deal with militants

Advocating for humane approach to deal with militants in Kashmir, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday said militancy cannot be wiped out by killing ultras alone.

Mehbooba, while addressing attestation-cum-passing out parade of 947 recruits at the Police Training School in Kathua, said: "You have to eliminate militancy in Kashmir. But militancy cannot be wiped out by killing militants alone.

"I request the police to try to bring them (militants) back to their homes. If it is possible to bring them back, make them a part of the mainstream. We need to understand the reason and the real problem behind militancy and fix them," she said.

The remarks come in the wake of killing of nearly 200 militants in the Valley this year.

The Chief Minister said recently that she has ordered review of cases against the youth during last year's unrest.

"You need to do the parenting of these youth who are barely of 12-14 years of age. They need to be counseled, educated and guided for which you people have to act as their guide philosophers," she asked the Police.

Terming the recent incident of manhandling of Kashmiri prisoners at Tihar Jail as unacceptable and shameful, she said, by such an act the personnel involved have not only brought disrespect to their State but to their fraternity as well.

"Our country being a civilized democracy; even the convicts have been guaranteed legal protection which ought to be extended to them."

Listing drug abuse as another challenge to the police force, the Chief Minister asked them to chase drug peddlers with full force and secure the innocent youth from the clutches of drug addiction.

Mehbooba expressed concern over the growing graph of crime against women and lamented the fact that the victims were not coming forward with their complaints.

She also said the modernization of JK Police is being given a thrust with more sophisticated instruments for crime detection, weaponry and vehicles to match the challenges faced by it.