Thursday 02 / May / 2024
New Delhi/Srinagar: Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the situation in Kashmir after returning from his two-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir.
The home minister, in an hour long meeting, apprised Modi about the ground situation of the state assessed by the all-party delegation which visited Srinagar and Jammu on September 4 and 5.
"Briefed the prime minister on all-party delegation's visit to J&K and also apprised him of the situation in the state," Singh said in a tweet after the meeting at the prime minster's residence.
While the prime minister returned to the capital on Monday night after his visit to Vietnam and China, the Home Minister too had come back from Jammu and Kashmir on Monday evening. Sources said the members of the all-party delegation are likely to meet here on Wednesday to discuss their findings during their visit and chalk out future plans for Jammu and Kashmir.
The all-party delegation seeking to end the turbulence in Kashmir concluded its visit on Monday with no breakthrough. Unhappy at the stubborn refusal of Hurriyat leaders to meet some MPs who had literally knocked at their doors in Srinagar, the home minister had said that their conduct was against "democracy, humanity or even 'Kashmiriyat' (Kashmiri ethos)".
Meanwhile, a youth was killed on Tuesday in fresh clashes between protesters and security forces in Anantnag district, taking the death toll in the ongoing unrest in Kashmir to 73 even as normal life remained disrupted for the 60th consecutive day. Naseer Ahmad Mir was killed in the security forces' action to chase away a large number of protesters in Seer Hamdan area of south Kashmir, even as several other persons including a woman sustained injuries, a police official said.
He said the injured woman has been referred to a hospital here in a critical condition.
Normal life continued to remain affected in the Valley for the 60th straight day following violence in the wake of killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in July, even as curfew was lifted from entire Srinagar following improvement in the situation. Although authorities lifted curfew from seven police station areas of the city after two days, normal activities remained suspended due to a separatist sponsored strike. Curfew has been lifted from entire Srinagar city and so no area in Kashmir is under curfew on Tuesday, a police spokesman said. He said curfew was lifted following improvement in the situation.
The spokesman, however, said restrictions on the assembly of people would remain in forces across the Valley to maintain law and order. Shops, business establishments and petrol pumps continued to remain shut during day time.They only open in the evening when the separatists have announced relaxation in the strike for some days of the week.
Schools, colleges and other educational institutions also continued to remain closed. However, the attendance in government offices and banks has showed signs of improvement since the past few days, officials said. Public transport continued to be off the roads.
The separatists, who are spearheading the ongoing agitation, have extended the shutdown programme till September 8. As part of their weekly protest programme, they have called for peaceful protests by women on Tuesday, while announcing a 12-hour relaxation in the strike from 6pm.
