Death Toll Rises in Kashmir, Mehbooba Mufti to Meet PM on Saturday

Mehbooba Mufti flew to Delhi on Friday evening for talks with the Prime Minister as the Valley remained on the boil.

Normal life remained paralysed for the 49th consecutive day due to curfew, restrictions and separatist sponsored strike in Kashmir. (Photo: PTI)

A youth was killed and several others injured in fresh clashes between protestors and security forces in Pulwama district on Friday, raising  the death toll to almost 70 in the ongoing unrest in Kashmir.

One youth identified as 18-year-old Shakeel Ahmad Ganai was brought to district hospital Pulwama with pellet injuries in his chest. He was declared ‘brought dead’ by the doctors.

Police Official

He said Ganai and several other people were injured in the action by security forces against protestors at Nikas Arbal in Rajpora area of the district on Friday afternoon.

Mehbooba Mufti to Meet Narendra Modi on Saturday

Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti flew to Delhi on Friday evening for talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the Valley remained on the boil.

Government sources in Delhi and Srinagar told that the meeting between Modi and Mehbooba was scheduled to take place on Saturday morning at his official Race Course residence.

The sources said the Chief Minister was summoned to Delhi after Home Minister Rajnath Singh’s two-day visit to Kashmir.

They said the Home Minister had asked the Chief Minister to act tough against and round up those perpetrating deadly civilian unrest triggered by the 8 July killing of Hizbul commander Burhan Wani.

“Rajnath Singh carried the same message and that is what Modi is expected to tell Mehbooba,” one of the sources said.

(With inputs from PTI and IANS)