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CRPF occupying 737 properties in J&K for its duties, says DG
The paramilitary force, responsible for law-and-order management in J&K, has been given access to these properties by the local administration over the years to station its men and perform its duties, for which it pays rent.
The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) is currently occupying 737 properties in Jammu and Kashmir for its duties, including residences of Kashmiri Pandits, hotels, cinema halls, industrial units, agricultural land, orchards and a school and a hospital as well, according to data shared by the force on Thursday.
The paramilitary force, responsible for law-and-order management in J&K, has been given access to these properties by the local administration over the years to station its men and perform its duties, for which it pays rent.
CRPF director general Kuldiep Singh, while interacting with mediapersons on Thursday at the annual press conference, said his men will vacate properties belonging to Kashmiri Pandits whenever asked.
“The force will vacate the premises of those Kashmiri Pandits, that are in its possession, who come back to claim their ancestral properties located in the Valley,” Singh said.
The data shows that of the 737 properties, 265 are private buildings, 333 government buildings, 26 industrial units/factories, 30 hotels, 71 agricultural land, eight orchards, two cinema halls, one hospital and a school.
A senior official who didn’t want to be named said 265 private buildings include residences of Kashmiri Pandits who left the Valley during the exodus in 1990s. This officer added that the UT administration pays the rent for these properties as CRPF is deployed in the Valley on the directions of the ministry of home affairs (MHA).
Singh also said on Thursday that there is definitely a periodic spurt in terror incidents in the Valley but it was immediately contained by security forces. He added that the months of December and January have been very good for the forces and their success rate has been high.
He said that since the special status of the erstwhile state of J&K was revoked, incidents of stone pelting have come down to nil now and the number of foreign terrorists operating in Kashmir Valley too is very low.
According to CRPF data, 175 terrorists were killed by the force in the past year in J&K and 183 terrorists were apprehended.
The DG also said a CRPF team will visit the US and other places to zero in on new technologies that can be implemented in J&K.
