J&K: Poonch SPO recruitment drive sees thousands of youth applications

A Special Police Officers (SPO) recruitment drive was conducted in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district on Tuesday which saw the participation of thousands of youth. "Around 6,800 candidates have applied from all over the district. Today, we are covering the Mandi tehsil," ASP Adil Hamid said. The participating locals also thanked the government for taking up the initiative. "A lot of youngsters who are jobless have come here. I belong to a poor family. We are thankful to the government for carrying out this recruitment drive," a candidate told ANI.

WATCH | Kashmiri Youth Turn Up In Huge Numbers For Police Recruitment Drive

Another candidate said, "There are 6000-7000 people who have come here. I appeal to the government to continue with such recruitment drives." Earlier this month, the recruitment drive for a Territorial Army Battalion in Srinagar received an overwhelming response with 6,500 youth from Jammu and Kashmir participated in it. The four-day drive was organised by the Army to shortlist youth for 162 infantry battalion. The Army said that as many as 550 youths had been shortlisted.

READ | Watch: 9000 Youth Participate In Army Recruitment Drive 

Army recruitment drive in the first week of October

The Indian Army had also conducted a massive recruitment drive in the districts of Samba and Budgam in Jammu and Kashmir in the first week of October where training was being imparted to the boys so that they could compete and get recruited. Participants of the recruitment drive had to go through rigorous training to achieve their targets in order to get recruited. Hundreds of young men had turned up in the recruitment drive who were travelling from various sections of the state to the training venue.

Speaking to Republic TV, the participating youth of the recruitment drive from the first week of October had said, “We are very excited about this. We are working hard day in, day out.  We are very happy with that and it is a very proud moment for us that people are getting into the police. This is happening after a very long time.”  

Speaking about the rigorous routine, another local stated, "See we come at 4:30 in the morning, we practice till its 7 am. Then we get some guidelines for the entire day. Then we again practice in the evening so that we can get fitter than before.” 

READ | Indian Army Carries Out Recruitment Drive In Srinagar

READ | Indian Army Conducts Recruitment Drive For The Youth In Jammu& Kashmir

(With ANI inputs)