New Delhi: With death toll reaching 30 and over 800 injured in Kashmir due to the violence triggered by the killing of Hizbul commander Burhan Wani, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who returned from a four-nation tour of Africa today, chaired a high-level meeting to review the situation in the state.
In the meeting which began at 10 am today, the PM was given a detailed presentation on the prevailing situation in the Kashmir Valley.
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, NSA Ajit Doval, Foreign minister Sushma Swaraj, Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar and other officials were present in the meeting.
After the meeting, Union minister Jitendra Singh told reporters that Kashmir & Sudan issues were discussed. PM has been keeping a close watch on the sequence of events
"PM Modi has made an appeal to maintain peace and calm in the valley. PM has extended every possible help to the State," he added.
The Centre on Monday held a series of meetings chaired by Home Minister to discuss ways to end the ongoing protest. NSA Ajit Doval also cut short his African visit with PM Modi and rushed back.
At least 24 people have been killed in the violence. Around 400 people have been injured, including nearly 100 policemen, and hospitals say they are overwhelmed.
Across Kashmir, roads remained empty and shops shuttered on Monday but confrontations continued despite a round-the-clock curfew in most of the Valley.
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh has in separate conversations discussed the unrest with opposition leaders Sonia Gandhi and Omar Abdullah.The state government has called for calm and has cut off Internet and mobile phone networks to try to stop the protests spreading.
Meanwhile, Pakistan summoned the Indian High commissioner Gautam Bambawale to expresss “Pakistan’s serious concerns over the killings of Burhan Wani and other civilians”, statements seen here as designed to escalate matters.
The provocation prompted New Delhi to react sharply and advising Islamabad "to refrain from interfering in the internal affairs of India..
Separatist groups have extended their strike call for two more days.
Nawaz Sharif 's office said in a statement that he had expressed deep shock at the "killing of Kashmiri leader Burhan Wani and many other civilians by the Indian military and paramilitary forces".
The statement said it was "deplorable that excessive and unlawful force was used against civilians" protesting against Wani's killing. Sharif also called for a plebiscite in "occupied" Kashmir to let people decide if they wanted to be a part of India or Pakistan, IANS reported.
