Stone pelting cases against J-K children to be withdrawn: Rajnath

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday announced that all stone pelting cases against children in Jammu and Kashmir will be withdrawn.

Speaking at the Jammu and Kashmir Sports Conclave here, Rajnath said, "When I was in Delhi, I met Afshan Ashiq (Kashmiri Footballer) and she told me that she had been a part of stone pelting incidents earlier, but ever since she got into sports, her life was turned around. Sports can bring a change in your lives. Children can be misguided easily but we know the truth that is why we have withdrawn all stone pelting cases against them."

Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, while lauding the Central Governments' efforts for promoting Sports in the state, said that the children of the state deserved to live in a positive atmosphere sans all the terror and violence.

"Children from Jammu and Kashmir should also be given atmosphere and opportunity to develop like that of the other parts of the country, so that stone pelting, bombing and gunning stop and these children get a chance to grow," Mufti said.

Rajnath attended this conclave as part of his two-day official visit to the state.

Singh is being accompanied by Union Home Secretary, Rajiv Gauba, Joint Secretary Jammu and Kashmir, Gyanesh Kumar and Minister of State for Prime Minister's Office, Jitendra Singh.

The Rajnath-led delegation will also be inspecting security arrangements in lieu of the Amarnath Yatra.