The unending protests by stone-pelting mobs in Kashmir have left cops patrolling the streets in the region demoralised to the extent that many of them want to quit While a few of them have already quit, several others have evacuated the police stations.
India Today TV reports that two cops resigned in an open today, while other media reports said that “anarchy” has descended upon four districts of south Kashmir — Pulwama, Shopian, Kulgam and Anantnag. Thousands of people in these districts are holding ‘Azadi’ rallies almost daily in the absence of an effective police force.
Times of India reports that only J&K Police is retreating in the violence-hit Kashmir while the mobs continue to intensify the anarchy further. The report says that attacks on police have been carried out in several areas of the disturbed Valley. The mob wants the cops to resign and join their cause and the militants.
TOI even quoted a cop as saying that police have been “abandoned” by the government and no one is supporting them. In 1990s protests, police force had collapsed in the Valley. The official told ToI that some people are trying to create a similar situation again.
The cop said that a lot of money, running into hundreds of crores, have been pumped in to create the present situation in Kashmir. “But the question to be asked is, who is allowing this?”
Reports said that mobs have burnt down houses of dozens of cops and almost all of their families have been threatened.
The J&K police have about 70,000 officers. There are also about 30,000 special police officers, who are poorly paid a stipend of Rs 6,000 per month, according to ToI.