J&K DGP hints at legal action against Pak-based Hizbul supremo Syed Sallahuddin, other terrorists

Jammu, Dec 31 (PTI) Jammu and Kashmir’s Director General of Police (DGP) Dilbag Singh hinted on Saturday that action could be taken against Syed Sallahuddin, the Pakistan-based supreme commander of the Hizbul Mujahideen terror group, and said dossiers have been prepared of almost all the local terrorists operating from across the border.

He dismissed People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti’s remarks that hundreds of youngsters are languishing in jails as draconian anti-terror laws, such as the UAPA, are slapped ruthlessly in Kashmir on “flimsy and trivial grounds”, saying it is a “personal perception” and adding that “we are open to any kind of scrutiny”.

“The day is not far away,” the DGP said at the year-end press conference here in response to a question on whether police are planning to take action against Sallahuddin, India’s most wanted terrorist, similar to the demolition of the house of Ashiq Nengroo, the Pakistan-based commander of terror outfit Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM), and an extended portion of the house of Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Ghulam Nabi Khan alias “Amir Khan” in south Kashmir.

“Many of them were earlier sitting in Pakistan and carrying on terrorist activities and were not brought into the ambit of certain legal provisions…. Now, dossiers have been prepared against most of them and they have already been notified as individual terrorists,” the police chief said, adding, “Further action as per law will follow against them.”

He said in order to put an end to terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir, it is vital to take strict action against the terror ecosystem.

“We have booked 649 terror supporters under the Public Safety Act (PSA) this year, besides seizing 50 vehicles used to transport terrorists and weapons. Twenty-eight houses and other buildings used to provide shelter to terrorists were also sealed,” the DGP said.

He said the anti-terror Special Investigation Agency is now more than a year old and has done a tremendous job in probing criminal activities, especially the cases registered under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

“We have augmented crime-dealing capabilities…. After finding that the UAPA cases have increased with 1,350 still under investigation, we have set up special investigation units (SIUs) at the district level in both Kashmir and Jammu divisions to speed up the probe in UAPA cases,” he said.

On the use of bulldozers to demolish properties linked to terrorists, Singh said, “Bulldozers were used for selective action. Where it is important, we will only use the machines there.”

Asked about Mufti’s letter to Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud and her remarks against the alleged misuse of the UAPA, the DGP said, “It must be her personal perception. Every act of police, including the registration and investigation of any case, falls under the scrutiny of the courts. We are open to any kind of scrutiny.”