Kashmir unrest: Mehbooba Mufti meets Governor Vohra to discuss law and order

Srinagar [India], Apr. 17 (ANI): Amid the turbulent situation in the Valley, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Monday met Governor N.N. Vohra to discuss the law and order situation. Meeting at the Raj Bhavan here, the Governor and Chief Minister also discussed the implementation of major development projects and the delays occurring on account of frequent closure of the Udhampur-Banihal sector of the National Highway. Meanwhile, in the wake of the spiraling violence in the Valley especially the fresh clashes between college students and security forces, all universities, colleges and higher secondary schools of Kashmir division are set to remain closed on April 18th as a precautionary measure. The development comes in the wake of the fresh violence that erupted across the valley today, as college students clashed with security forces over alleged police brutality in a Pulwama college. Hundreds of students, clashed with the security forces in Kashmir earlier today during protests against police action in a college on Saturday. The violence erupted in Srinagar after a day-long protest, and spread within hours to other parts of the Kashmir Valley including Tral and Sopore. Yesterday two killings were reported from Jammu and Kashmir where suspected terrorists barged into the house of a 'pro-government gunman' Rashid Billa and shot him dead. Ikhwan commander Rashid Billa was gunned down in Hajin town of Kashmir's Bandipora district late on Sunday night. According to police sources, the gunmen barged into Billa's home and opened indiscriminate fire, killing him on the spot. The incident came within an hour of unknown gunmen killing former public prosecutor advocate Imtiyaz Ahmad Khan. Imtiyaz was shot dead by suspected militants in Shopian district in Jammu and Kashmir. The incident took place in Pinjura village. On Saturday, in a similar attack, militants barged into a medical shop owner named Bashir Ahmad Dar's house in Srinagar last night and shot him dead. Condemning the killing of a youth in Srinagar, Mufti haD called on security forces to exercise maximum restraint while operating in provocative situations. Expressing deep anguish over the death of a youth at Batamaloo late last night, the Chief Minister directed the security forces to exercise maximum restraint while performing their duties in provocative situations and follow strictly the laid down SOPs in such cases. Mufti also condemned the killing of Bashir Ahmad of Qasbayar, Pulwama who was gunned down by unidentified gunmen. The Chief Minister has also sought a report from the Police about an incident of violence at Degree College Pulwama in which more than 50 students were injured. Mufti has also sought a report from Police about the surfacing of some videos in the valley, terming the acts in them as 'unacceptable and atrocious'. (ANI)