Police take steps to ensure safety of Kashmiris in Odisha

  • | Monday | 18th February, 2019

In case of any trouble, people from Kashmir staying or visiting Odisha can contact local police stations or dial 100 (police control room). We were disturbed after news of harassment of some Kashmiris in Delhi, Ambala, Bangalore and Dehradun surfaced. The police commissionerate has been given specific instructions as there might be Kashmiris studying in educational institutions or working at private companies in the capital city.“We do not have specific data of Kashmiris in Bhubaneswar. Hence, we have asked inspectors-in-charge (IICs) of the police stations to take adequate security measures. I am also refraining from posting anything related to the ongoing issues on social media.”

BHUBANESWAR: Amid reports of alleged harassment of Kashmiris in some states in the aftermath of Thursday’s Pulwama terror attack that killed 40 CRPF personnel, the state police on Sunday assured safety and security of the Kashmiris visiting or residing in Odisha.Director general of police R P Sharma has directed superintendents of police (SPs) in the districts to remain alert and take pre-emptive measures to ensure their safety.“There have been no reports of violence or harassment against the Kashmiris in Odisha so far. However, we are alert. In case of any trouble, people from Kashmir staying or visiting Odisha can contact local police stations or dial 100 (police control room). All help will be provided forthwith. We are duty-bound to protect all of you,” Sharma tweeted.The DGP has asked all police stations to remain vigilant during demonstrations and candle light rallies carried out by different organisations in solidarity with the families of the martyrs. The police have also been asked to keep a tab on the miscreants who may incite hatred and spread objectionable messages on social media, resulting in communal tensions in the state.The police in tourist places have been instructed to ensure safety of the Kashmiri visitors. A data from the Tourism department said 5,139 and 4,208 tourists from Jammu & Kashmir had visited Odisha in 2016 and 2017, respectively.Since, state police do not have the current count of Kashmiris, including students, tourists and working professionals, staying in the state, its headquarters has asked SPs to find out people from J&K and intensify patrolling in the areas they have been residing. The police commissionerate has been given specific instructions as there might be Kashmiris studying in educational institutions or working at private companies in the capital city.“We do not have specific data of Kashmiris in Bhubaneswar. Hence, we have asked inspectors-in-charge (IICs) of the police stations to take adequate security measures. The IICs of the police stations under whose jurisdictions major educational institutions and private companies lie have been asked to coordinate with the organisations and verify security arrangements,” deputy commissioner of police Anup Kumar Sahoo said.An engineering student from Jammu city, who did not wish to be identified, said, “I along with two others from Samba district have been pursing BTech. We were disturbed after news of harassment of some Kashmiris in Delhi, Ambala, Bangalore and Dehradun surfaced. However, we have not faced any trouble in Bhubaneswar. I am also refraining from posting anything related to the ongoing issues on social media.”

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