In a bid to reduce the number of stone throwers engaging in protests against the security forces in Kashmir, the J&K state government will now hire thousands of youth across the state as special police officers.
They will be recruited in all 22 districts of the state to ensure law and order situation by taking on stone throwers, reports The Telegraph.
”The force was employing youths as SPO for a host of duties, including disaster management”, a J&K police spokesperson told Telegraph. He said that the hiring will be done as per the recommendations of selection committees headed by the concerned deputy commissioners.
The move was first introduced in the state during 2010 summer unrest to dwindle protesters and is now being re-implemented to curb the clashes dominating the valley for the past one month since the July 8 killing of Hizbul militant Burhan Wani.
The monthly salary of SPOs, who have been helping the security forces in combating militancy in Kashmir, was hiked to Rs 6000 earlier this year. Sources told that out of 25,000 such officers in the state, hundreds have been absorbed in the police for their role in anti-militancy operations.
“Nobody knows how long this unrest will last but this is essentially an investment for the future. Every stone thrower who joins the police’ ranks would mean one stone thrower less.” said the police spokesperson.
(Feature image source: PTI)