Cabinet’s security panel discusses Kashmir violence

NEW DELHI - The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) Sunday discussed the situation in Jammu and Kashmir in the wake of renewed violence in the Valley that has left 14 civilians dead in the past three days but did not take any decisions, an official said.

“The meeting reviewed the overall scenario in the wake of the violence but did not take any decisions,” an official said, speaking on condition of anonymity as he was not authorised to speak to the media.

Home Minister P. Chidambaram briefed the meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and attended among others by Defence Minister A.K. Antony.

Meanwhile, Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah is likely to visit New Delhi where he will meet Chidambaram and possibly, the prime minister, informed sources in Jammu said.

Of the 14 deaths, eight, including those of two 17-year-olds - one of them a girl - occurred Sunday in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district as escalating violence engulfed the Kashmir Valley.

The law and order situation has deteriorated with violent protests rocking most cities and towns and mobs attacking police stations, police camps, vehicles on the highways and also beating up trapped security men.

Five people were killed and 19 others injured in an explosion inside the Khrew police post in Pulwama district after a rampaging mob entered it Sunday evening and set it afire, a police officer said in Srinagar.

Police said the explosion could have occurred because of the gas cylinders inside the police post which blew up during the fire.

Earlier, a 17-year-old girl, Afroza Bano, was killed and three others critically injured when policemen inside the Khrew police post opened fire in self-defence after being attacked by the mob.

Two people, identified as Nayeem Ahmad Shah, 26, and Rayees Ahmad Wani, 17, died and five others were critically wounded when a huge mob attacked the Pampore police station in the same district.

On Friday, two people each were killed in north Kashmir’s Sopore and Pattan towns when security forces opened fire on violent protesters. Two more protesters were shot dead Saturday in north Kashmir’s Baramulla and Bandipora districts.