PM appeals for calm in Kashmir

One killed in Kupwara in police firing; most parts of Srinagar, other areas under strict curbs since Saturday

Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a high-level meeting of his ministers and senior officials to review the situation in Kashmir after returning this morning from his four-nation Africa visit. The meeting was attended by Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar, among others.

In fresh incidents of violence reported from the Valley, one person was killed in fresh firing by security forces in Kupwara district, police sources told Press Trust of India.

The PM issued an appeal to the people of Jammu & Kashmir to maintain calm, while J&K Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti said in Srinagar that her government will do what it can “but parents must take charge and ensure that your child doesn’t go out in curfew”.

The Kashmir Valley has witnessed large-scale protests triggered by the killing of Hizbul militant Burhan Wani by security forces on Friday. At least 30 people have been killed in the violence that followed.

According to sources, the PM expressed his “unhappiness” over the media coverage of the protests. Modi is said to have said that Wani, a militant, has been portrayed a ‘hero’. He also pointed at the dozen-odd cases registered against the militant, most of which were serious in nature, under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act.

The foreign secretary briefed the PM on Pakistan’s response to Wani’s death, including the statement issued by Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, statement by their Foreign Office and summoning of Indian High Commissioner Gautam Bambawale by Islamabad. Pakistan on Tuesday asked the five permanent United Nations Security Council members to take notice of the situation in Kashmir and ask India to the “respect human rights” of the people in the violence-hit Valley.

Sources said the home ministry was worried over the situation in the Kashmir Valley in the next two days. July 13 is commemorated as ‘martyrs’ day’ in Kashmir.

Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said the way police has been “let loose” on old and young in the state is terrible. Azad, a former J&K CM, said that 1,500 people have been injured and the Bharatiya Janata Party should take responsibility for the situation.

In another incident, suspected militants fired at a police post in Sopore area and in another incident unidentified persons hurled a petrol bomb towards security forces posted in the Noorbagh area of Sringar. The wife and daughter of a police officer were on Tuesday beaten up by a mob in Awantipora area of south Kashmir's Pulwama district.