A 65-year-old man was killed by terrorists in the Parimpora area on the outskirts of Srinagar City on Friday. He was a shopkeeper and reportedly killed for keeping his shop open.
A 65-year-old man was killed by terrorists in the Parimpora area on the outskirts of Srinagar City on Friday. He was a shopkeeper and reportedly killed for keeping his shop open.
Earlier, a truck driver was targeted and killed in Bijbehara in Anantnag district by stone-pelting criminals.
Recently, the Parliament passed a resolution abrogating Article 370 which granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir and a Bill bifurcating the former state into two Union Territories.
Five UN human rights experts had urged India to end restrictions in Kashmir.
MEA Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar referred to the press conference of Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik on Wednesday in which he had announced several measures including filling of vacancies.
"The local government is handling the situation with maturity and restraint. Not a single life has been lost. Not a single live bullet has been fired. The administration is putting all resources necessary to ensure that normalcy returns as soon as possible," he said.
Referring to the situation on August 5 when the Central government repealed Article 370, Kumar said there has been "a gradual but a positive improvement" in the situation on the ground.
He said the situation in the Valley cannot be compared to the situation in other parts of the country and even before August 5, things were not normal to the extent compared to other cities in the country.
"But there is a commitment that lives should not be lost and that is what the government of Jammu and Kashmir is working towards."
Kumar said 85 per cent of police stations were without any day-time restrictions.
"He (Governor) announced that 50,000 vacancies will be filled up in government departments. There was an announcement of MSP for apple crop. In this context it was mentioned that NAFED has committed Rs 5,000 crores for procuring 50 per cent of apple production in the state," he said.
Referring to restrictions imposed in Kashmir, he said of 111 police stations, there are no day-time restrictions in 81. "If we take the overall figure, we are looking at 85 per cent of police stations without any day-time restrictions," he said.
Kumar said mobile phones "have been opened" in 10 districts of Jammu and the revenue districts of Kupawara and Handwara.
"Landlines are operating in Jammu and Ladakh. We have announced a phased opening of landlines in the Valley. There are certain manual interventions, which are required. That is the reason it may take some time," he said.
Kumar said the government has also announced that it would ensure the preservation, protection of heritage, language and identity of the region.
He said it was also announced that elections to block development councils would be completed by October to take democracy to the grassroots.
Referring to education, he said that 3000 primary schools and 1000 middle schools were functional. "Yesterday the Governor also announced that high schools will open very soon. Banking and ATM facilities are operating normally."
He said reports in media about the shortage of drugs were false.
"We have reports from different hospitals in the Valley. We have seen stocks of life-saving drugs," he said, adding that there is no instance that any hospital has reported a shortage of drugs or disposable items.
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 "Srinagar (Representational Image)")
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