Amid the ongoing curfew in Kashmir, the Central government on Saturday decided to send 3,600 additional paramilitary personnel to the Valley, directing the state government to ensure there is no more loss of lives.
Twelve companies of troopers would reach the state on Saturday while 24 more companies of paramilitary personnel would reach by Sunday. Each company comprises 100 personnel, the Press Trust of India reported.
The Valley is under the grip of tight curfew for the last three days. A class 11student was killed in Army firing on Friday, taking the civilian death toll to five since April 12.
A Jammu and Kashmir-based human rights organisation, JK Civil Coalition of Civil Society (JKCCS), was not allowed to hold a media briefing by the state government in Srinagar on Saturday, after it claimed that the J&K police had pressurised the Handwara-based girl to appear in a video that showed her refuting allegations that an Army man had harassed her.
However, the mother of the girl claimed that her husband and daughter have been held in preventive custody by the police. She said her daughter was pressurised into giving the statement by the police, according to PTI.
"My girl is just 16 years old and was alone in the police station when her statement was recorded. She was pressurised by police to give that statement," the girl's mother claimed.
Meanwhile, Finance Secretary Ratan P Watal, who is holding the additional charge of Union home secretary, chaired the meeting in New Delhi that reviewed the current security scenario in the Valley. The meeting was attended by senior officials from the Intelligence Bureau, the ministry of defence, the Central Armed Police Forces and the ministry of home affairs.
