Budgam violence: JK DGP discusses law and order with Jitendra Singh

Srinagar [India], Mar. 29 (ANI): Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police (DGP) S. P. Vaid met Union Minister of State Dr. Jitendra Singh here today and held a detailed discussion with him about the prevailing situation in Kashmir, in the aftermath of yesterday's violence in Budgam which resulted in the death of three civilians and injuries to other locals, as well as security personnel. Singh said that it is the responsibility of both the administration as well as the civil society to make the youth of Kashmir understand the reality, instead of getting instigated by the false propaganda by a handful few. Lauding the role of security forces including the Army, Para-military and Jammu & Kashmir Police, the Union Minister said that India stands among the best forces in the world and the nation is eternally indebted to them. Fumed by the recent violence in Budgam, which witnessed and encounter and incidents of stone pelting, in which three civilians were killed and 60 security personnel were injured, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has slammed the separatist leaders for their hypocrisy, saying that they are pushing the youth of the Valley into this conflict while their own children are kept in safe places. "In spite of huge provocation such as stone pelting, forces are trying to maintain their calm, trying to ward off the agitating groups. But the separatist leaders are the most irresponsible leaders. They are deliberately pushing youngsters of the Valley into this conflict," BJP national general secretary Ram Madhav told ANI. According to sources, Pakistan was responsible for the violence in Budgam yesterday, which witnessed an encounter as well as a major incident of stone-pelting in which three civilians were killed and 60 security personnel sustained injuries. The Kashmiri locals are being tormented and brain washed by the separatist leaders of Pakistan and Kashmir and it is the Army and the Paramilitary Force that are protecting and safeguarding the people there, while the Centre and state government are monitoring the situation, sources add. Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah took to Twitter to express his grief over the death of the civilians, however, made no mention of the injured soldiers. The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) also stated that yesterday's encounter with militants in Budgam was a particularly different one, as they had to fight it on two different levels- against militants and the stone pelting locals as well. Earlier yesterday, three stone pelters were killed in retaliatory firing by security forces near the site of the Budgam encounter. The stone pelters could be seen attacking the forces while a gunbattle was underway with terrorists, during which they were killed. At least 17 stone pelters have been injured in the firing by forces. The security forces had launched a search operation following a tipoff about the presence of terrorists, which then became an encounter. (ANI)