Violence Against Kashmiris Counter-Productive: Julio Ribeiro

He, however, added that brainwashed terrorists needed to be neutralised.

(Left) Former DG of Punjab Police, Julio Ribeiro; (Right) A damaged vehicle of CRPF being taken away from the site of suicide bomb attack at Lathepora Awantipora in Pulwama district of south Kashmir.

(Source: The Quint and PTI)

Video Editor: Mohd Irshad Alam

As the country continues to argue over whether the Pulwama attack that claimed the lives of 40 CRPF personnel could have been stopped, former Director General of Punjab police, Julio Ribeiro, weighs in on where are we going wrong while tackling terror in Kashmir.

Ribeiro, who has also served as the Director General of the CRPF, said it is very difficult to prevent a Fidayeen attack and it was obvious that the attack was being planned for a long time.

“The only way you can prevent a Fidayeen attack is if you get prior information. Convoys are a matter of everyday occurrence in Kashmir because they have to go in a convoy when they return from their duties, while proceeding on leave. So, I suppose they felt safe because of the numbers that were with them. It’s obvious that the perpetrators have been thinking about it and planning it for a very long time and basically our intelligence has not been able to pierce this.”

Julio Reibeiro, former DG, Punjab Police 

‘Our Own Man Was the Suicide Bomber’

Referring to Adil Ahmed Dar, the 22-year-old terrorist who carried out the attack, Ribeiro pointed out that it was worrying that the attack was carried out by an Indian. He stressed on the need to address the problem and first find out the reason for it.

“Why has a person who is an Indian joined the ranks of the underground? Why is he revolting against us? The very fact that who has done it, who has been the suicide bomber? It was our person. It’s not a man who has come from Pakistan. There are people who have come from Pakistan and operated here, that is also there. But with this particular fellow, we should be worried that our own man has done it and why has our own man done it? That is a question we need to answer.”

Julio Reibeiro, former DG, Punjab Police 

‘Brainwashed Terrorists Need to Be Neutralised’

Acknowledging that brainwashed terrorists need to be neutralised, Julio Ribeiro added that it is especially important for the law enforcement to earn the support of the masses in a bid to crackdown on terrorism.

“Pakistan is an enemy country. It is never going to be friendly to us. We should take that as a given. How do we take that population over to our side? That is the main thing. You can’t do anything about the brainwashed terrorists, you have to go after them. They have to be neutralised but the great mass of the population that tacitly supports them, even tacit support, that has to be cracked.”

Julio Reibeiro, former DG, Punjab Police 

“You must understand that the terrorist have to rely on their co-religionists and people from their community for their support. If they don’t get that support, they cannot function. Like in Punjab,” he added.

The former director general of Punjab police, who served the state during its worst years of terrorism, added that this technique helped eradicate terror in Punjab.

“Why has it stopped in Punjab? I have experience of Punjab. Punjab terrorism has come to an end not because of our killing the terrorists. It is because the population, the Sikh-Jat farmer from whose ranks these terrorists has risen, they have gone against the terrorists,” said Ribeiro.

‘Violence Against Kashmiri Students Counter-Productive’

Addressing the issue of Kashmiri students being attacked at different educational institutions in the aftermath of the Pulwama terror strike, Ribeiro emphasised that people still stop and think before indulging in such violence. Clearly stating that such actions would only be counterproductive.

“What value will attacking them be to us? We must in fact, get them over to our side. There are people studying in our universities. What do you think these boys are going to do when they return? Will they be friendly with us or will they become inimical? But many people don’t stop to think.”

Julio Reibeiro, former DG, Punjab Police