Uneasy calm in Valley, Army Chief reviews security situation
21 July 2016 5:58 AM IST
Army Chief General Dalbir Singh Suhag on Wednesday reviewed the security situation in curfew-bound Kashmir and appealed to the people to maintain peace, while calling for strict vigil along the Line of Control (LoC). Uneasy calm prevailed in the Valley, where one more person succumbed to his injuries, raising the toll to 43 in the unrest that erupted on July 8.
Gen Suhag complimented the troops on ground for showing maximum restraint even in the face of grave provocation. He also appreciated the synergy being shown among all security agencies that had resulted in successful counter-terrorist operations, an Army spokesman said.
“The Chief of Army Staff today reviewed the security situation in Kashmir during his visit to the Srinagar based 15 Corps,” the spokesman said. He said the Army Chief was briefed by the Northern Army Commander Lt Gen DS Hooda and Chinar Corps Commander Lt Gen Satish Dua on the situation along the LoC and the hinterland including the measures instituted to ensure close coordination with all security and other government agencies towards maintaining peace in the Valley.
The Army Chief, accompanied by the Northern Army and Chinar Corps Commanders, also visited the Kupwara Division in north Kashmir and Awantipur based 'Victor Force' where he was briefed on the operational preparedness as also the initiatives taken by Army in collaboration with civil administration to alleviate hardships being faced by the populace due to the prevailing unrest, the spokesman said.
Meanwhile, separatists have extended their strike call till July 25. No papers for 6th day, owners seek assurance Local newspapers in the Valley failed to hit the stands for the sixth consecutive day, even as the state government said there were no restrictions on their printing and publishing.
No papers for 6th day, owners seek assurance
No local newspaper whether English, Urdu or Kashmiri was available in the Valley as the newspaper owners decided not to publish them after the alleged clampdown by the government on Friday night and demanded that the government must “own the ban” and issue a statement guaranteeing that media operations will not be hampered in any way. The newspaper owners claimed that police raided their printing facilities and seized newspapers, plates and even detained the printing staff
last week.
Schools in 4 districts in Valley to reopen today
The J&K government has decided to reopen schools in four of the 10 districts of the violence-hit valley from Thursday. “In partial modification to the orders in regard to summer vacation, it has been decided that the schools in the districts of Baramulla, Bandipora, Budgam and Ganderbal as well as winter Zone of Jammu Division will reopen on July 21, 2016,” an order issued by Commissioner-Secretary Education Department Shaleen Kabra reads. The schools, which were closed for 17-day summer vacation from July 1, were scheduled to reopen on July 18. However, the state government had extended the vacations by one week till July 25 in view of the ongoing turmoil in the valley. The government order did not make any mention about reopening of schools in the remaining six districts including Srinagar.
Next Story
