Mufti accuses China of meddling in J&K
SECURITY BRIEF CM calls for country’s backing to combat situation
Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday accused China of meddling in the troubled state that has recently witnessed a spike in violence.
Mufti was speaking after emerging from a meeting with Union home minister Rajnath Singh with whom she discussed the security situation in the state. She said the present crisis in Kashmir is not a mere law-andorder problem, adding the fight is against external forces.
Earlier it was Pakistan but now there are reports of China meddling in the Kashmir affairs, she said. “We cannot fight this war alone. We need backing of the whole country and all political parties to emerge victorious,” Mehbooba said.
Mufti has earlier blamed Pakistan for the unrest in the state, but this is for the first time she pointed the finger at China.
Her statement comes days after India snubbed Chinese offer to mediate between India and Pakistan. The allegation comes amid a standoff between Indian and Chinese forces in Doklam at the Sikkim border.
Militants have stepped up attacks in recent months on government forces in the state as counter-insurgency operations intensify. Mufti’s meeting with the home minister in the national capital in the wake of the attack on Amarnath pilgrims on July 10, in which seven persons died, lasted for almost an hour after it commenced at 11.30am.
She termed the attack a conspiracy to whip up communal tension in the state
“Ensuring security of Amarnath Yatra obviously topped the agenda of the meeting,” said an aide to the home minister.
Their meeting also came a day after the home minister briefed top opposition leaders on the situation in the valley and steps taken to ensure better security for the Amarnath pilgrims.
The opposition has slammed the government for failing to ensure security of Yatris.
The home ministry in consultation with the state government has decided to erect 21 more security pickets on the Amarnath route to check whether any vehicle carrying pilgrims is moving beyond the deadline of 7pm in the Valley. The ill-fated bus that came under attack had violated the deadline.
At least three militants have been killed in an encounter raging on in the forests of Tral in south Kashmir between trapped militants and forces, a senior police officer told HT.
The militants are believed to be foreigners of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), and according to the police, were planning a major attack on army and police.
The encounter started on Saturday morning in Satoora forest area of Tral, around 40km from Srinagar and the home town of Hizbul Mujahedeen militant Burhan Wani killed last year.
Speaking to HT, inspector general of police, Kashmir Range, Muneer Khan, had said, “Since the last two-three days, we had information that this group of militants were planning an attack on army and police. Pursuing them, we finally established contact today morning. The encounter is on.” Director general of state police, SP Vaid, had said that as the gun-fight was on the militants entered a cave.
Meanwhile, an ASI of the CRPF in a grenade blast in South Kashmir’s Kulgam district on Saturday. A manhunt has been launched to nab the suspected militant.