The recent incident in which the Jammu and Kashmir Police alleged that a group of Army personnel entered a police station in Kishtwar and assaulted police officials has raised concerns over coordination between the two forces engaged in anti-terror operations.
The J&K Police, Army and CRPF routinely conduct joint operations against terrorists hiding in the dense forests of the region. Intelligence sharing between the police and the Army is also a regular feature of counter-terror operations.
Four terrorists who had entered the Chhatru forest area of Kishtwar were eliminated in similar joint operations earlier this year.
While the circumstances surrounding the recent Kishtwar incident are under investigation, former Director General of Police (DGP) Shesh Paul Vaid believes such incidents can adversely affect joint operations against terrorists.
Speaking to The Tribune, Vaid termed the incident unfortunate and said senior officials from both sides should have resolved the issue through dialogue instead of allowing it to escalate.
“When I was serving in the J&K Police, such incidents did occur, but we resolved them through discussions. Such episodes are undesirable as they can damage the coordination between the police and the Army, which are working together against terrorism in J&K,” Vaid said.
Senior Army and police officials regularly hold joint coordination meetings to assess the operational preparedness of both forces.
The issue reportedly began when the driver of a private vehicle associated with the Army entered into an altercation with the driver of the convoy of Kishtwar Deputy Commissioner Pankaj Sharma, who was travelling to an official function. The private vehicle was later impounded and taken to the Atholi police station.
According to the FIR registered by the police, nearly 40 Army personnel led by Major Vikas Sharma and Naib Subedar Shanker Gurkhe of 17 Rashtriya Rifles (RR) entered the Atholi police station and allegedly assaulted police personnel. The Army personnel have been booked by the police.
Officials said a joint inquiry has been initiated into the incident and action will be taken based on its findings.
A senior Army officer, requesting anonymity, said the J&K Police play a crucial role in joint anti-terror operations in the remote and mountainous areas of the Jammu region.
“The intelligence network of local police personnel has generated several leads on terrorists hiding in forest areas in recent years. These inputs are vital for launching operations against heavily armed ultras,” the officer said.
