JAMMU & KASHMIR COMES UNDER GOVERNOR’S RULE

Jammu and Kashmir was on placed under Governor’s rule for the fourth time in the last one decade after the BJP withdrew support to its alliance partner PDP, prompting Mehbooba Mufti to resign as the Chief Minister.

A home ministry spokesman said, “The President has approved imposition of Governor’s rule in Jammu and Kashmir with immediate effect.”

Meanwhile, additional chief secretary (home) of Chhattisgarh B.V.R. Subramanyam, known as hard taskmaster, has been sent on deputation to Jammu and Kashmir with immediate effect.

Mr Subramanyam who had a long stint in the PMO, both during the present NDA government and earlier Manmohan Singh regime, had played a key role in devising the “fight to finish” battle against the three-decadeold Leftwing insurgency in Chhattisgarh.

Jammu, June 20: Defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday visited the family of the soldier who was abducted and killed by terrorists two days ahead of Eid and described him as an inspiration for the nation.

Accompanied by senior Army officers, the minister went to the remote hamlet of Salani in the border district of Poonch to express her condolences to the family of slain soldier Aurangzeb, officials said.

“I have come here to meet the martyr’s family,” the defence minister told reporters after meeting the family, including Aurangzeb's father, a former Army man who reiterated his resolve to sacrifice his all to safeguard the integrity and sovereignty of the country.

“Here is a family, here is a martyr, who to me and I am sure to the whole nation, stands out as an inspiration... and that is the message I am carrying from here,” she added.

Aurangzeb, who was posted with 44 Rashtriya Rifles, was on his way home to celebrate Eid when terrorists abducted him from south Kashmir on June 14 and killed him same day. He had boarded a private vehicle for Shopian, from where he was supposed to go to Rajouri district.

The terrorists intercepted the vehicle as it approached Kalampora and abducted the jawan. His bullet-riddled body was found at Gussu village, about 10 km from Kalampora, in Pulwama district.

The minister’s visit to his family came two days after Army Chief Gen Bipin Rawat spent over 30 minutes with his parents. — PTI