Pakistan on Saturday violated ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir as Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh arrived here on a four-day visit.
In a tweet, Singh, who is accompanied by newly-appointed Union Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba and senior MHA officials, said that he has ‘come here with an open mind and willing to meet anyone who helps government find solutions to the problems faced by the state’.
The Home Minister arrived at the Srinagar airport where he was received by Deputy CM Nirmal Singh and senior officials of the state government. During his stay in the state, the Home Minister will also meet Governor NN Vohra, besides meeting top civil administration and security officials. Singh will also be interacting with delegations of civil society.
Officials said that the Union Home Minister began his visit by meeting state Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti in the Nehru Guest House in Srinagar. They said that Singh is scheduled to visit Khanabal in south Kashmir's Anantnag district where he will interact with CRPF and police officials. Singh will also visit Naushera in Rajouri district and Jammu district during the four-day visit, they added.
Meanwhile, a police official said that the firing from across the border in Debraj, Krishna Ghati and Ishapur in Mendhar sector started around 10.30 am, prompting retaliation by Indian troops guarding the border. He said the exchange of fire was continuing between the two sides when the last reports were received. However, there was no immediate report of any casualty.
On the other hand, authorities today foiled the plans of separatist leaders Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Mohammad Yasin Malik to hold a protest outside the NIA headquarters in Delhi by taking them in preventive custody.
While Mirwaiz and Geelani have been placed under house arrest, Malik was arrested from his Maisuma residence here late last night and lodged at the Kothibagh police station before being moved to Central Jail, a police official said.
The separatist trio had announced on Wednesday their plans to visit Delhi today for holding a sit-in outside the NIA headquarters and court arrest against what they termed as vilification of Kashmiri people by the investigating agency.
