In a series of pointed questions directed at officials Ajay Bhalla, Union Home Secretary, and Dilbag Singh, the Chief of Jammu and Kashmir Police, Basant Rath, a prominent voice, and commentator, has raised concerns over the handling of escalating narco-terrorism and organized crime issues within the region. Rath’s queries come as Singh, who has been the Police Chief since September 2018, recently acknowledged the presence of narco-terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir.
Rath’s first question centers on Singh’s delayed response to the issue. “What made Dilbag Singh break his silence on narco-terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir in August 2023, though he had been the police chief here since September 2018?” Rath inquired, further questioning why it took over 59 months for Singh to admit that the region was mirroring Punjab’s trajectory in terms of organized crime.
Rath also brought attention to a video he released on August 8, where he accused Dilbag Singh of being a “criminal” and alleged that he had been the “chief architect” of the ongoing situation in Jammu and Kashmir since 2018. Rath’s video seemingly played a role in pushing Singh to address the issue publicly.
The second set of questions revolved around the nexus between organized crime syndicates and rogue elements within the police department. Citing the Punjab experience, Rath highlighted that no criminal empire of this nature can operate without support from within the police ranks. Rath questioned Singh’s inability to identify police officers involved in collusion with the drug mafia in Jammu and Kashmir. He pointed out that, in Punjab, officers like Rajjit Singh were implicated for their involvement in facilitating drug smuggling and extortion.
Rath inquired, “Why has Dilbag Singh failed to identify police officers who have been hands in glove with the drug mafia in Jammu and Kashmir? How many police officers in Jammu and Kashmir have been investigated and punished in the last five years of Dilbag Singh’s tenure?”
The third line of inquiry pertained to the illicit activities of the brick kiln and sand mining mafias in the region. Rath highlighted that brick kiln owners and the mining mafia, mainly from neighboring Punjab, have been thriving in Jammu and Kashmir. He questioned Singh’s inaction in addressing the issue, citing instances where similar actions were taken by the Punjab Police against their respective mafias.
Rath posed, “Why has Dilbag Singh failed to act against the mafia that imports bricks from Punjab and sells in Jammu? Ditto for sand mining mafia. And the most troubling question is: If Dilbag Singh has failed to control mining mafia and brick importing gang of Punjab, how can he be expected to lay his hands on drug lords of Punjab if they are operating in Jammu and Kashmir?”
The questions raised by Basant Rath bring to light concerns over the enforcement of law and order in Jammu and Kashmir. The nature of the issues addressed has led some to question whether officials like Singh and Bhalla, both hailing from Punjab, may be inadvertently contributing to the expansion of organized crime in the region. As the public awaits responses from the authorities, the issues of narco-terrorism and organized crime remain central to the ongoing discourse in Jammu and Kashmir.
Basant Rath, retired 2000-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer of the AGMUT cadre
4:20 AM, August 20, 2023