In a major crackdown against the hundreds of militants from Jammu and Kashmir hiding in the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir over the last several years, the state administration has declared on Thursday that they may end up losing their properties. The development came since the administration initiated the process of declaring the militants as "proclaimed offenders" and attaching their properties.
According to the intelligence wing of J&K Police, a list of over 4,200 such people, most of whom have been in PoK since 1990, has been prepared.
It has been reported that the details of their properties have also been shared with the Inspector-General of Registrations and Revenue which implies that no property of any individual designated as a "proclaimed offender" can be sold or transferred.
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What do the authorities say?
As per media reports, Dilbag Singh, the Director-General of J&K Police, said, "Traitors to the nation... the people who have taken shelter in Pakistan after being involved in terrorist activities (in India) are now trying to promote terrorism from there."
The police chief further added that the deployment of the action has already begun in Doda district. So far,16 locals who had taken shelter in PoK have been declared "proclaimed offenders".
"Few days ago in Doda range, action was initiated against such traitors. Their properties have been attached and they have been declared fugitives," Mr Singh said.
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Further, police are also attaching properties of those accused of willfully sheltering terrorists; officials say this ensures innocent people who were forced or threatened to shelter terrorists are spared.
In light of this latest development, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Thursday urged people not to provide such shelter and reiterated the centre's commitment to wipe out terrorism and its eco-system from Jammu and Kashmir.
"I hope you will not give protection or support to such elements. The rest of the job will be done by the police and security forces. Don't give shelter. It is because of terrorism that people in J&K have been living in fear for decades," Mr Sinha said.
Terrorists crossing border since 1990
In 1990, thousands of youth had crossed the Line of Control into PoK for arms training following which, most of them returned to India to carry out terrorist activities in Kashmir. Over the past three decades, over 23,000 terrorists were killed by security forces during encounters in the region.
In 2010, the J&K government announced a "surrender and rehabilitation" policy for those willing to return from PoK. Around 300 came back with their families but more than 4,000 are still believed to be in camps.
