HM Amit Shah’s Maiden Three-Day Visit To J&K Today, Set To Review Security & Development-Related Projects

Ahead of the Union Home Minister’s visit to Jammu and Kashmir, several traffic restrictions have been imposed in Srinagar — those driving two-wheelers are being subjected to intensive security checks.

New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah will begin his three-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir today, this is his first visit to the Union territory after the abrogation of Article 370.

He will review security and development-related projects in Srinagar.

“Shah will review security and development-related projects in Srinagar on Saturday and he will likely hold a public rally in Jammu on Sunday,” a senior police official said, as quoted by news agency ANI.

Besides the security review meeting in Srinagar, he will also interact with members of J&K’s Youth Clubs and inaugurate the first international flight between Srinagar and Sharjah in the UAE.

Ahead of the Union Home Minister’s visit to Jammu and Kashmir, several traffic restrictions have been imposed in Srinagar such as those driving two-wheelers are being subjected to intensive security checks.

In addition, a total of 50 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) teams have been deployed to the union territory for security purposes.

Around 700 people have been detained in the union territory, a few under the stringent Public Safety Act (PSA), after the recent killings of non-locals in Jammu and Kashmir, police officials informed.

Meanwhile, a total of 26 detainees are being shifted to the Central Jail of Agra from Jammu and Kashmir under the Public Safety Act 1978. The order has been issued ahead of Amit Shah’s three-day visit to the union territory beginning Saturday, ANI reported.

The important visit comes amid encounters by security forces to neutralise the terrorist elements in the Kashmir valley while 11 lives have been lost in the recent killings of civilians mostly targetting non-locals.

11 Lives Claimed By Targetted Killings In J&K

Last week, the total number of victims who died in the targetted civilian attacks in Jammu and Kashmir reached 11 after four more non-locals were shot dead.

Two non-local residents were killed and another sustained injuries when unknown gunmen fired upon them in the Kulgam district of south Kashmir on Sunday evening. 

Police said the gunmen fired at them at Wanpoh, leaving two persons — Raja Reshi Dev and Jogindar Reshi Dev, both from Bihar — dead on the spot and another person wounded. 

Previously, the killing of the government teachers earlier this month took the number of such deaths in Kashmir valley to seven, including four from minorities.

The teachers who died on October 7 were identified as Supinder Kour, a resident of Alochi Bagh area in Srinagar, and Deepak Chand, a resident of Jammu. They were working as teachers at Government Boys School, Sangam, news agency PTI reported.

Prior to this, on October 6, three civilians were shot dead by militants within two hours in separate incidents in the Srinagar and Bandipora districts of Jammu and Kashmir. 

The victims included Makhan Lal Bindroo, a Kashmiri Pandit and owner of Srinagar's most famous pharmacy. He was shot dead by the assailants from point-blank range while he was at his pharmacy.

Within an hour, militants killed a non-local street vendor in the Hawal area of the city. The vendor, identified as Virender, used to sell bhel puri and was also shot at point-blank range. He died on the spot.

Then within minutes of the second killing, the third victim Mohammad Shafi Lone was shot dead at Naidkhai in Bandipora district in North Kashmir.

Before that, militants had shot dead Majid Ahmad Gojri, a resident of Chattabal Srinagar, at Karan Nagar on October 2. 

Later that night, another civilian Mohammad Shafi Dar, resident of Batamaloo, was shot at and injured at SD Colony Batamaloo. He succumbed to the injuries.

(With Inputs From Agencies)