Mehbooba to chair UC meeting to discuss Kashmir situation

Srinagar, Apr 24: GOC-in-C Northern Command, GOC 16 Corps, GOC 15 corps, security advisor to Chief Minister, Director General of Police (DGP) Dr SP Vaid, Inspector General of BSF, IG CRPF, senior officers of Intelligence Bureau (IB) and RAW and Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh will also participate in the meeting, being held a day after a senior ruling PDP leader was shot dead by gunmen in South Kashmir district of Pulwama today.

The meeting assumes significance as it is taking place at a time when social media was being used to upload alleged atrocities by Army and other security agencies and students are clashing with security forces in the Valley, where attack on families of cops and political parties has witnessed increase. It is being held a time when a video surfaced showing Army using a youth as human shield in Central Kashmir district of Badgam and a group of youth thrashing a CRPF jawan on April 9. The authorities have already suspended mobile internet service as a precautionary measure to prevent rumours on April 17 when security forces entered Degree college Pulwama and allegedly beat up students, including girls.

Because of surge in the violence, the Election Commission of India (ECI) postponed scheduled bypoll in Anantnag parliamentary constituency on April 12. Now the polling will be held next month despite opposition by the state government that situation was not conducive for poll.

However, a two member ECI team arrives here today to review the security arrangements for the bypoll in the constituency. Srinagar constituency recorded just seven per cent polling, which was marred by violence.