Security in panchayat polls to be more challenging than ULB elections: ADGP L&O, Security

Srinagar : Additional Director General of Police , Law & Order and Security Muneer Ahmad Khan on Saturday said that panchayat polls in Jammu & Kashmir will be more challenging than the recently concluded municipal elections in terms of security adding that the forces were prepared to tackle any situation.
“The panchayat elections will be more challenging because the spread is too much as compared to the urban (local) body elections. But we are prepared for that,” Khan, said.
Khan was speaking to reporters here on the sidelines of a wreath laying ceremony for CISF officer ASI Rajendra Prasad who was killed in a standoff fire by militants at a power grid station in central Kashmir’s Wagoora area during the intervening night.
He said the attack was an act of “frustration” on part of the militants as “security forces have had huge success” on the anti-militancy front recently.
“… You have seen there have been a lot of very very successful operations in which, in the last two days, eight militants – belonging to various outfits – were eliminated and without any collateral damage.
“That means, the flow of information is there is good, operations are happening and of course, it is the frustration on the side (part) of the militants that they are resorting to these kinds of things,” he said.
The ADGP said the success rate of anti-militancy operations depends on the flow of information.
“If good operations are taking place that means the flow of information is very good and we intend to keep on doing such operations,” he said.
Asked if militants were on the back foot because of the recent operations in which security forces had huge success, Khan said “this goes on – sometimes back foot, sometimes front foot and sometimes ducking”.
“The up and down scenarios are there, but we have to do our professional work and that we are doing,” he said.
Polling will be held on November 17, 20, 24, 27 and 29, and December 1, 4, 8 and 11 in the 35,096 panchayats in the state. The entire election process would be completed by December 17.