After Delhi initially rejected the claims that Special Police Officers of J&K Police were resigning en-masse, the Government of Jammu and Kashmir has now admitted the quitting spree in South Kashmir due to recent threats of Militants and assassination of three Special Police Officers (SPOs).
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“The state of Jammu and Kashmir has over 30,000 Special Police Officers (SPOs). If you compare the number of SPO’s who have resigned, it’s negligible,” said BVR Subramanium, Chief Secretary of Jammu and Kashmir.
The resignation videos of policemen surfaced following the kidnapping and killing of three cops in Jammu and Kashmir, just days after Hizbul Mujahideen militants put out a message of “resign or die”. Sources say more than 40 SPOs and policemen have resigned since Friday.
The three policemen, all SPOs, were dragged out of their homes in South Kashmir before daybreak and killed by terrorists. Their bodies with multiple bullet wounds were found later in an orchard near their village. Resignation videos and reports that terrorists were raiding homes and forcing policemen to resign followed.
To prevent cops from uploading resignation videos on social media, the government has blocked internet services in south Kashmir. The worst-hit are Pulwama, Shopian and Kulgam districts.
Police sources say there are more than 3,000 SPOs from South Kashmir and the government is relocating many policemen and their families to safer places. The police and other security agencies have also published warnings to their personnel not visit their homes in the troubled region.
In its effort to prevent more resignations and reverse the dangerous trend, the government is contemplating add-ons for the SPOs. Their salary of Rs. 6,000 is expected to see a jump of Rs. 10,000. “All the Special Police Officers have been instructed about their personal security. The salaries of SPOs are going to see a substantial hike in the next few days,” said Mr Subramanyam.
