Security forces and the police are conducting a “Census” in Jammu and Kashmir, which besides names and phone numbers of residents, also seeks to know if a family member has terror links, has visited a foreign country, latitude-longitude details of the property, if the premises has CCTV cameras installed, and whether any encounter had taken place at the house.
For the past one week, the police have been distributing a one-page unsigned document titled “Census Form” and “Village X Ray” in each household in Srinagar. The Army and central armed police force (CAPF) have also been tasked with collecting such details from each household in their area of operation in Kashmir Valley and Jammu division.
The form has sections such as terror links, encounter, family member settled abroad, visit to foreign country, photograph of the house, photograph of head of family, photograph of other family members, vehicle registration number, Aadhaar number, mobile number, etc.
Residents have been asked to fill the form and submit it at the nearest police station at the earliest.
A government source told The Hindu that such details are being collected to minimise damage to property and protect locals in case an encounter has taken place or a law-and-order situation has emerged.
“The form will ensure that the police and security forces have the precise details. The Army has already completed the exercise,” said the source.
A police source however said that the details are being collected for ease of providing services to citizens.
“The Police are conducting the Census so that police-related services such as passport verification would be easy and quick,” the source added.
Another government official added that the practice has been going on for over a decade in the Kashmir Valley and the implementation depended on the initiative of a local commander or the Station House Officer.
A resident of Srinagar said on condition of anonymity that earlier too they have filled out such forms, but this time, the details sought are exhaustive.
“This has set off panic among the people. Earlier they only asked for names of residents which appeared to be a usual exercise. Now, they are asking for details of each family member, including vehicle number and photographs. They want to know the terror links and whether an encounter has taken place at the house,” the resident said.
Another resident questioned the efficacy of such an exercise.
“Incidentally, government already has almost all the information such as vehicle numbers, phone numbers and photographs. Is it to convey the idea of being under 24/7 surveillance? Or the larger othering project, one doesn’t know,” the second resident said.
The development comes in the wake of the December 21 incident in Poonch-Rajouri area of Jammu when four soldiers were killed in an ambush by unidentified terrorists. Following the incident, three locals who were picked up by the Army for questioning were found dead with multiple injuries. Army sources had alleged that the terrorists were sheltered by locals.
The police have registered a case of murder to probe the alleged custodial killings. The terrorists involved in the ambush are yet to be identified or caught.
