Mehbooba says pained at Budgam deaths, urges restraint

Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti today expressed anguish over the death of three civilians in Budgam and urged restraint from all sides saying issues confronting the state cannot be resolved if violence becomes the norm.
In a statement released by the official spokesman, Mehbooba expressed deep anguish and grief over the death of three youths at Chadoora.
"It is highly painful to see the young boys losing their lives," the chief minister said.
She termed the killings as highly unfortunate and said the people in Kashmir continue to suffer massive collateral damage due to violence of past three decades or so.

Violence has given people of the state innumerable miseries, she said adding that it is high time that peaceful means are given a chance for the resolution of issues.
"We know there are issues that need to be addressed and resolved but no one will be able to do anything at a point when violence becomes a norm. There is a need for restrain from all sides so that conducive atmosphere is created and dissent is expressed in peaceful way," she said.

Three civilians -- all young men in their twenties -- were killed while 18 others were injured in security forces' action against a large number of protesters who pelted the law enforcing personnel with stones allegedly in a vain bid to help the holed up militant escape.

Earlier in the day at an election rally, Mehbooba asked local militants to give up their arms as nothing can be achieved through violence.
"Today an encounter is going on at Chadoora... We made efforts to tell the lad to lay his arms and come back (to the mainstream). Violence will not yield anything," she said addressing an election rally in south Kashmir.