Even as Rajnath arrives in Valley, a teen is killed

In his search for an end to the unrest in the troubled Kashmir Valley, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh is on his second visit to the state within a month. But even as he arrived an 18-year-old boy was killed in firing by security forces in a south Kashmir village.

A police officer said Amir Gul Mir was killed after he sustained pellet injuries in a clash between protesters and security forces in Pinglina village of Pulwama, some 30 km south of Srinagar.

Rajnath’s two-day visit is expected to see meetings with various stakeholders, but there are reports that the business community in the Valley has refused to engage him citing the disturbed conditions after 46 days of curfew.

Singh’s visit comes after a series of meetings the opposition leaders from the state held in the national capital last week, including ones with President Pranab Mukherjee,

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi. The opposition leaders warned the leadership here that a continuing unrest in the state will further alienate the people of Kashmir. Meanwhile, calling for an end to the cycle of violence, chief minister Mehbooba Mufti said:“Violence has changed nothing on political spectrum of Jammu and Kashmir, but brought mayhem, miseries, economic disaster, academic breakdown and social disorder to the state." Immediately upon his arrival at the Nehru Guest House here, Singh, accompanied by Union Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi and other officials, held a meeting with different wings of administration on security, health and maintenance of essential commodities for the people. Official sources said Singh asked head of paramilitary forces, dealing with the law and order situation, to exercise maximum restraint while dealing with protesters. The Home Minister was told that there has been an improvement in the situation on the ground, there is no scarcity of essential commodities, and health services are functioning, they said The government is keen to end the cycle of violent protests and counteroffensives that has left at least 68 people dead in over five weeks of unrest. Thousands of civilians and forces personnel have been injured.