Abid Bashir
Srinagar, Oct 31: Stating that his relation with the police is “eternal”, the out-going Director General of Police (DGP) of J&K, Dilbagh Singh Tuesday said that had J&K police lowered the guard during Riyaz Naikoo’s ‘terror’, Zakir Moosa’s ‘ghost’ and Geelani’s rigidness, “don’t know what would have been the situation in the UT today.” He, however, said terror, ghost and rigidity was trampled professionally.
Speaking at the farewell function at Armed Police Complex Zewan, Srinagar, DGP Dilbagh Singh, while recalling his career’s good and bad days on the last day of his service, said his relation with the police was eternal.
“A policeman is always a policeman,” he said, adding that he is witness to historical developments that took place during the course of his stint from SSP to DIG to DGP rank. “When I was appointed as the DGP, I thought there were many others who could have been choosen for the post. I thanked God for my selection. As a DGP I always wore a smile on my face and wanted to see the same on the face of my jawan,” DGP Singh said.
He said during the past 30 years, police faced a series of challenges bravely and performed the duties like a professional force. “When there were shutdowns on the calls of separatist’s, on the deserted streets, one would always find a policeman performing his duties,” the out-going DGP said.
He said had police lowered the guard when “Riyaz Naikoor’s terror, Zakir Moosa’s ghost and Geelani’s rigidness was at its peak, don’t know what would have been the situation today in J&K.”
“There was a period when there were many commanders of terrorist outfits and their fear was everywhere. In 2018, there were threats to SPOs, who quit in large numbers. Today, we searched whether there is any name of any terrorist commander. Today, all SPOs are back to business,” DGP Singh said.
He said during the course of time, police dealt efficiently with Amarnath Land Row, Machil fake encounter, Shopian rape and murder and enforced shutdowns by separatists.
The DGP said during his stint as the police chief of the UT, he maintained a close and friendly relation with the Corps commanders of Kashmir and Jammu. “While we were trying to retrieve DySP Himayun Muzamil alive from the Gadool encounter site, we were also trying to bring back the Colonel and Major also.
Referring to his relation with the police force, the DGP quoted Salman Khan starrer Bollywood movie ‘Body Guard’ song—“Teri Meri Prem Kahani Hai Badi Mushkil, Dou Lafzon mei ye bayan nah o payay.” “My relation with the police can’t be explained in just two words,” Singh said amid a smile. Recalling the incident on the first of his marriage, he said: “An encounter broke out in the neighbourhood and we had to sleep on the floor.”
About the peaceful situation prevailing in the Valley today, DGP said the challenge is not to bring peace but to protect it and make it a permanent feature. “We have succeeded to ensure peace, we need to keep it intact. Terror threats haven’t ended. We need to be active and cautious,” he said and wished all the best to police force for its future endeavours.
