Rajnath Singh reaches Kashmir for 2-day visit, to meet Mehbooba Mufti

47 people have died and over 2,000 injured in over 2 weeks of clashes between demonstrators and security forces.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh arrived in Kashmir on Saturday on a two-day visit to take stock of the law and order situation following the protests against militant Burhan Wani’s killing by Indian security forces.

He is accompanied by the Directors General (DGs) of paramilitary, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP).

According to NDTV, he held a high level security meeting in Srinagar. He is also scheduled to meet Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and Governor Narinder Nath Vohra. Rajnath will fly back to Delhi on Sunday afternoon.

47 people have died and over 2,000 have been injured in over two weeks of clashes between demonstrators and security forces amid protests over the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Burhan Wani earlier this month.

The Centre has already sent over 3,000 paramilitary troops to the state to assist the state government restore peace in the trouble-torn valley.

Fresh violence broke out in the Valley on Friday after several days of calm, and led to the death of one protestor.

Newspapers had been forced to shut in the Valley following an unofficial gag order, but returned to operations on Friday.

Earlier, the Opposition had torn into the Modi government in Parliament for its handling of the Kashmir unrest, saying that there should be differentiation between stone-pelting youth and terrorists. The Opposition also called for an end to the use of pellet guns by security forces.

It had also blamed the government for not sending even a single representative to Kashmir in the wake of the violence.

(This story originally appeared on Deccan Chronicle)