Fresh clashes in Kashmir left one civilian dead and several others injured on Wednesday, hours after Home Affairs Minister Rajnath Singh arrived in Srinagar. A police officer said the youth, Aamir Bashir, was taken to a hospital with pellet wounds in his chest, but doctors declared him brought dead. The fighting between protesters and security personnel took place in Pulwana district in south Kashmir, a day after curfew was lifted from parts of the state, PTI reported.
Bashir was killed as the police and Central Reserve Police Force personnel tried to disperse protesters in Pinglena village. Residents of the south Kashmir village had announced that they will be holding a rally at Prichoo, near Pulwama town, but security forces blocked their way using pellet guns and tear gas shells, according to The Indian Express.
Singh is on a two-day visit to the Valley to hold talks with parties affected by the agitations in the state, which began after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani. He invited everyone who believes in "Kashmiriyat, Insaniyat and Jamhooriyat" to take part in the discussions. He, along with Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi, will review the situation in the state, where the toll from the clashes now stands at 66.
The home minister's visit follows Prime Minister Narendra Modi's meeting with a delegation of Opposition leaders of Kashmir, who urged the Centre to initiate a dialogue on the ongoing crisis in the state. Earlier, Indian Army Chief General Dalbir Singh, who was in the Valley to take stock of the situation ahead of Singh's trip, appealed to both security forces and the people of Kashmir to shun violence and help restore peace in the state.
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