Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir police is maintaining pressure on terrorists to isolate them so that they cannot mislead the general public, Director General of Police Dilbagh Singh has said.

In an interview with PTI, Singh, who has been leading the force since last year, thanked the people of the state for their cooperation in maintaining law and order.

"While the security teams comprising police, para-military forces and army have done a splendid job, one should not neglect the cooperation extended by people of the state," he said.

Security presence in the state has been stepped up and stringent restrictions put in place since August 5 when the Centre scrapped provisions of Article 370, which granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir, and also divided the state into two Union Territories.

Singh, a 1987-batch IPS officer, refused to comment on the Constitutional changes made in the state, but said, "I believe an era of positive development has been ushered in the state. And people should understand good things about it."

He said as a police force head it was his duty to ensure that a handful of terrorists, who are mainly from Pakistan, are not allowed to misguide the general public in Jammu and Kashmir. "Our counter-insurgency unit is maintaining pressure to keep these terrorists at bay and definitely we have been able to do it," he said.

Singh, who is busy talking to district superintendents of police and giving them a pep-talks on phone, says the force is following a two-pronged strategy to maintain peace and tranquillity in the state.

"While the counterinsurgency grid is maintaining pressure on terrorists, the remaining security forces are ensuring that law and order is under control."

Security forces would not allow either of the situation to get out hand, he said. He acknowledged that there have been minor incidents in past 13 days "but they were controlled locally by police officials. There were injuries to some civilians and policemen but they were discharged after first aid”.