Emotional Mufti appeals for peace, assures action against 'excessive force'

Calling on the people of Jammu and Kashmir to cooperate with the state government amid the turbulent situation in the valley, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti called for restrain among locals while assuring that action will be taken on security forces for using 'excessive force'.

In a televised message, a visibly emotional Mufti was seen expressing her anguish over the deaths of both civilians and security forces in clashes over the protest against the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani.

"In these past few days, the situation in Kashmir has been very bad, and is very painful in which many people lost their lives, especially our soldiers. I am speechless and maybe how much I express my sadness, cannot be compared to the misery of people who lost their kids during this time," Mufti said.

"It was a day of Juma near Maghrib ki masjid, and I heard the news in which three militants lost their life in Kokernag area and amongst them, one was Burhan Wani and from that very moment I had been trying, how can we make things under control, so that nobody dies and that is why, I ordered curfew, so that less people come on roads and if people come on roads, be it CRPF, police or other security forces, all were instructed that people will be emotional, youngsters will be emotional, you (soldiers) have to keep calm," she added.

Mehbooba said the deteriorating law and order situation has also lent a huge blow to the local economy which had just started picking up the threads with the encouraging tourist arrivals.

"If we see what happened over the past 27 years, nothing has been achieved (through violence)," she added.

Earlier in a statement, the Chief Minister had asked her ministerial team to 'reach out' to the public.

She had also said that the police and the paramilitary forces have been asked to exercise maximum restrain to avoid loss of lives or grievous injuries.

She appealed the parents not to allow anybody to play with the future of their children and asserted that the deteriorating law and order situation has also set a huge blow to the local economy which had just started picking up the threads with the encouraging tourist arrivals.

The Chief Minister said the Ministers and other Government functionaries have been asked to reach out to the people and work with the local civil society groups for speedy restoration of peace and normalcy.

She said the ministers will remain stationed at the district headquarters to monitor the situation and reach out to the people.

"They (Ministers) will also monitor the day to day situation personally and initiate measures for return of tranquilly in the respective areas in consultation with the local civil society groups and prominent citizens," she said.