CM announces Rs 5 lakh aid, jobs for those who lost vision

VALLEY UNREST

JAMMU AND Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Monday announced ex-gratia relief of Rs 5 lakh to the next of kin of each victim killed during last year’s unrest in the Valley. She also announced government jobs for those blinded by pellets.

Winding up the discussion on an adjournment motion in the Assembly, she also announced setting up of a SIT to probe the killing of a lecturer at Khrew, an ATM guard at Karan Nagar and other such cases where security forces were accused of targeting innocent civilians.

Mehbooba also announced setting up of an SIT in each district to investigate killings and injuries taking place there in order to ascertain if excessive force was used by security forces. The SITS would be asked to submit their reports in a time-bound manner, she said.

Announcing the relief of Rs 5 lakh to the next of kin of those killed during the unrest, she said that possibilities of providing jobs would also be explored in some cases. Job opportunities will be made available to people who lost their eyesight, she added.

About students whose eyesight has been affected, she said that arrangements would be made for their education in Delhi and other places.

Reacting to the announcement, Zuhaib Maqbool, a photojournalist who was blinded by pellets in Srinagar while on duty, said: “It is like backstabbing a person and then hugging him. By announcing this package the government is not doing any favour to us. What can the pellet victims do now. It is brutality.”