Jaitley talks tough as teen killed in fresh Valley clash
NO COMPROMISE Says stone-pelters ‘invented’ by Pakistan were ‘not satyagrahis’
JAMMU/SRINAGAR: A teenager hit by tear gas shell during clashes between protesters and security forces died in Kashmir on Sunday, taking the death toll in the over-a-month-long unrest to 67, even as Union minister Arun Jaitley asserted that there will be “no compromise with those indulging in violence”.
Irfan Ahmad (18) was killed in Malarata near Nowhatta. “He was hit by a shell on the left side of his chest,” said G H Bhat, DIG, central Kashmir.
Doctors at SMHS Hospital said Irfan was brought dead there. Locals said he was a resident of Fateh Kadal in the old city and had gone to Malarata to attend a marriage. They said it was not clear whether Irfan was among those pelting stones or just a bystander.
Finance minister Jaitley blamed Pakistan for the long unrest and said, “The government will make no compromise with anti-nationals and acts of violence.”
“The situation has become grave this time. The present unrest is being fuelled by anti-nationals, separatists and especially by Pakistan. Pakistan has found a new way to attack unity of the nation. It is a huge challenge for us,” he said.
In a firm tone, he said stonepelters, “invented” by Pakistan, were “not satyagrahis”.
Although curfew remained in force for the 44th day on Sunday, the protests and clashes with security forces continued at many places across the Valley.
Massive pro-freedom and antiIndia rallies were organised in Kashmir’s southern districts of Pulwama, Anantnag and Shopian.
At least 60 persons were injured after forces fired teargas shells and pellets to disperse protesters in Behrampora area of Rafiabad in north Kashmir’s Baramulla.
An elderly couple — Abdul Qayoom (80) and wife Nazira Begam(75) — was injured when security forces allegedly opened fire during a midnight raid on their residence in south Kashmir’s Tral region on Friday. A seven-yearold boy, Junaid, was critically injured in pellet firing in downtown Srinagar on Saturday. Both NEW DELHI: A delegation of opposition party leaders from Jammu and Kashmir will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday to discuss a way out of the ongoing unrest in the Valley.
On Sunday, the delegation led by NC leader Omar Abdullah, met Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi. “Discussed the current political crisis in J&K with a delegation of opposition leaders from the state,” Gandhi tweeted. HTC
J&K DELEGATION TO MEET PM TODAY
Qayoom and Junaid were said to be stable.
At least 67 people have been killed and 7,000 injured in firing by security forces since clashes broke out between people and forces following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani on July 8.
Meanwhile, three militants were killed in a gunfight with security forces in the forests of Tangdhar close to the Line of Control.