Killing of apple truck drivers attempt to prevent normalcy in J-K: Gen Rawat

Army Chief Gen Bipin Rawat said on Friday that killing of apple traders and drivers ferrying the crop was an attempt to prevent normalcy in Kashmir.

He also expressed confidence that the repeal of Article 370 will usher speedy development and create more job opportunities.

Delivering the KM Cariappa memorial lecture here, Gen Rawat said repeal of Article 370 will also lead to better "amalgamation of Jammu and Kashmir with the rest of India".

He said "terrorists who control PoK (Pakistan Occupied Kashmir)" were trying to disrupt the normal life in the region.

"There is an attempt being made by the terrorists who control PoK to disrupt and prevent normalcy from being attained (in J-K). Therefore, we are seeing the killing of apple traders and drivers from outside the state who are ferrying apple crops," said Rawat.

On Thursday, two truck drivers were killed and one was injured when terrorists fired at two trucks near Chitragam of Shopian.

The attack came days after a driver was killed by terrorists in same district on October 14.

Referring to repeal of Article 370, Gen Rawat said that Jammu and Kashmir was getting four times more funding than other states but it was not showing the desired results.

"With the abrogation of this Article 370, we are confident that we will witness better development, better job opportunities, better people- to-people contact and finally better amalgamation of J-K with the rest of India," he added.