Srinagar: Five days since the death of Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Burhan Wani, the Valley continues to simmer. The death toll has crossed 30 and the government is gearing up for possible trouble as July 13 is observed as Martyrs' Day.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi reviewed the situation and appealed for calm with the hope that no innocent person would face any inconvenience or suffer any loss.
Five other people were injured and several police structures were damaged in violence and arson by mobs at nearly two dozen places in the valley, a police spokesman said, while describing the situation as "under control".
Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti reached out to the parents, as a "parent myself", appealing to them to restrain their children from participating in such violent protests as these lead to "unfortunate" loss of lives.
In a televised address, she said anti-social elements were out to misguide common people, leading them to violence, which provokes reaction by security forces.
In Delhi, Modi held a high-level meeting to review the Kashmir situation soon after his return from his five-day Africa visit. It was attended by Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval.
"He (PM) has appealed to the people of Jammu and Kashmir to maintain peace so that the situation can normalise. He (PM) also expressed hope that no innocent person should face any kind of inconvenience or loss," Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office Jitendra Singh said after the meeting.
Modi said the Centre will provide whatever help is needed by the state government, according to Jitendra Singh.
More than 350 people including over 115 security force personnel have been injured in the clashes and militant attacks since last Friday following Burhan's killing.
While normal life remained paralysed, unidentified militants targeted a police post in Sopore, about 55 kms from Srinagar, firing seven to eight rounds but no one was injured.
"During stone pelting on Police and CRPF deployment, a stone pelter identified as Arhan Mir of Bijbehara picked up a tear smoke shell, which exploded in his hand due to which he was injured," the police spokesman said.
The incidents of stone pelting were reported from Tral, Nowdal, Gadbugh, Batnag, Chindrigam, Shopian, Memander, Frisal, Yaripora, Ruhama, Rajpora, Newa Bijbehara and Goriwan in the four south Kashmir districts of Anantnag, Pulwama, Kulgam and Shopian, exchange road Beerwa in central Kashmir Budgam, Main Chowk Sopore, Warpora, Khanpora bridge, Baramulla in Baramulla district, Langate and Trehgam in Kupwara district and Popchan and Bandipora in Bandipora district.
Miscreants set ablaze a police guard room at Gadbugh, a minority picket guard room at Batnag, Tral, and a guard room of Police Post Ruhama in Pulwama district, the spokesman said.
Miscreants also lobbed a petrol bomb on CRPF and police party deployed in Safa Kadal area of downtown Srinagar.
In Awantipora area of Pulwama in south Kashmir, a mob beat up and injured wife and daughter of a police Sub-Inspector Mohammad Ashraf Pal and damaged his house.
Authorities have strengthened the presence of security forces on ground in vulnerable areas of the city and elsewhere in the valley to contain the protests, the official said.
Normal life remained affected across the valley due to the strike called by the separatists groups.
Public transport was completely off the roads while private cars and auto-rickshaws were seen plying at a few places in the areas where there were no restrictions, they said.
Educational institutions in the Valley were closed on account of the ongoing summer vacations, while Central University of Kashmir (CUK), Islamic University of Science and Technology (IUST) and Jammu and Kashmir Board of School Education (JKBOSE) have postponed the examinations due to the prevailing situation.
Most of the separatist leaders, including Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umer Farooq and Mohammad Yasin Malik, are either under custody or house arrest.
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