A major political controversy erupted in Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday after Leader of Opposition and senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Sunil Sharma criticised the police in strong terms, calling the force 'Nalayak' and 'Na-Ahal' in the presence of Inspector General of Police (IGP), Jammu Zone, Tejinder Singh.The remarks came during the IGP's visit to the remote Dachhan area of Kishtwar district to meet the families of two Special Police Officers (SPOs) killed in a suspected terror attack recently.Sharma, who was accompanied by Kishtwar MLA Shagun Parihar, questioned the police's security arrangements and operational decisions following the killing of SPOs Babi Chand (57) and Rashpal Kumar (45), residents of Kiyar village.The two personnel went missing on Wednesday while travelling through the mountainous terrain towards a security post at Basnand in the adjoining Marwah tehsil. Their bullet-riddled bodies were recovered from the Dachhan forest area early Thursday.During his interaction with the IGP, Sharma questioned why the two SPOs had been sent across a difficult stretch of mountainous terrain to assist Army personnel.
He argued that the deployment exposed them to unnecessary risks and questioned why personnel from nearby police pickets were not assigned the responsibility instead."What kind of operational strategy is this?" Sharma asked, expressing concern over what he described as negligence and inadequate planning.He also questioned the decision to send the SPOs into a sensitive operational area with .303 and INSAS rifles.The BJP leader further raised concerns over the delay in the security response following the killings.He claimed that security personnel reached the affected area only the following morning and sought clarification from the police administration over the arrangements made to retrieve the bodies.Pointing to the history of militant violence in Kiyar village, Sharma recalled that eight residents were killed in a terrorist attack in August 2000, while two more locals were abducted and killed in 2004.He said the recurring incidents had heightened insecurity among residents and called for stronger security arrangements to prevent further attacks.Sharma demanded the immediate restoration of a permanent police picket in Dechhan and the redeployment of around 40 security personnel who had previously been stationed in the area.Referring to MLA Shagun Parihar's remarks about local youngsters willing to defend their homeland, he also suggested recruiting eligible candidates from the village to strengthen the police presence.The LoP also levelled allegations concerning the recruitment and functioning of Special Police Officers, claiming that former Over Ground Workers (OGWs) associated with terrorists were being appointed to the force.He questioned the alleged links between a local police officer and OGW networks and demanded a thorough investigation and strict action if the allegations were established.Sharma also questioned the progress of counter-terror operations, claiming that four terrorists remained active in the area despite casualties among security personnel and local residents.He cautioned that alleged lapses in a sensitive region could further aggravate tensions and undermine public confidence in the administration.While Sharma's supporters described his remarks as an expression of public anger over the killings, his use of derogatory terms against the police in front of the Jammu IGP triggered criticism.- EndsWith PTI inputs