Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti today made an emotional appeal to the people of state and regretted that despite all the efforts by her government, lives were lost.
In her first reaction after the Kashmir unrest, Mufti urged the civil society, religious groups and the media to help restore peace in the Kashmir Valley.
"I am pained by the killings that occurred here recently. I appeal to the eminent religious leaders and the civil society members and the media to cooperate and help in restoring peace in Kashmir," she said.
"We must all come together in the time of distress to take control of the situation," she added.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief also said that inquiry would be done in cases were security forces "have used extra force causing deaths".
“Accountability will be fixed on excessive use of force, but there is a group which takes advantage of the situation, creates tension and diverts the route of procession. I will ensure that a fair enquiry is done," she said.
More than 30 people have been killed and nearly 1,500 injured in the vicious cycle of violence since the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Burhan Wani.
Mufti further said that she was aware that people would take to the streets after the killing of Wani as they would be "high on emotions".
“The moment I learnt of the Kokernag incident, where Burhan Wani was neutralised, I understood that people would come out and from that time itself, I had ordered curfew so that few people come out on streets. Despite all our efforts, it's sad that we could not save the life of youths," the CM said.
She also urged parents to guide their kids not to join such agitation.
“I am proud of my community. I want to bring the state out of the present crisis,” she said, adding that “I am proud of the way our Muslim brethren took care of the tourists stranded and travelling for Amarnath Yatra.”
Most of the protesters who died in firing by security forces have been young males who clashed with police and paramilitary personnel.
