JAMMU: The Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police, Jammu-Samba-Kathua (JSK) Range, Shiv Kumar Sharma, chaired a crucial meeting, focussing on stringent action against gangsters and criminals in the districts under his jurisdiction. He issued uncompromising directives to all attending officers, including SSPs, Additional SPs, and Zonal Superintendents of Police. He emphasized the need for maintenance of a comprehensive list of gangsters for enhanced surveillance on them to book them under the Public Safety Act (PSA). The meeting outlined a multi-pronged strategy to dismantle criminal networks by targeting their financial networks through seizure of their properties acquired through illegal activities, including extortion and land grabbing, dismantling their support systems by keeping a close watch on the activities of their aides, cracking down on vehicles with modifications, and strict legal action against individuals possessing illegal weapons, involved in land grabbing, or threatening the public. DIG Sharma also stressed the importance of community involvement, calling for the engagement of “Parents, Civil Society, and Responsible Citizens” in awareness campaigns against criminal activities. He emphasized the need to protect youth from the glorification of crime, stating, “Criminals and gangsters have no life, no future; their end is always bad.” The meeting also addressed security measures for the upcoming Republic Day 2025, with directives to strengthen checkpoints, especially in border areas and during night hours. In his concluding remarks, DIG Sharma reiterated the dual focus of the police force i.e. becoming more public-friendly and ensure strong action against criminals and gangsters to maintain a peaceful environment across all sections of society.
