The North Block was buzzing with activity on Monday afternoon. In one of the rare occasions, both Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar along with MoS PMO Jitender Singh came together to meet with Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti in Delhi to discuss the security scenario in the Valley.
The need to bridge the gaps in security, undertake visible confidence-building measures and bringing the situation under control are some of the issues believed to have been addressed. The meeting was necessitated by clashes between civilians and the police and paramilitary forces, which left many injured, following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in an encounter with security forces early last month.
The chiefs of the central paramilitary forces, CRPF and BSF, were also present at the meeting, which took stock of the situation following protests over large scale pellet injuries among civilians in the clashes.
Security sources told THE WEEK that the threat from cross-border outfits in Pakistan who fuelled these agitations, was a matter of deep concern for the security top brass. Inputs had suggested that militants had played a role in instigating violence in the Valley after Wani's killing.
Sources said instances of firing had also come to the notice of the forces when the mob was indulging in stone pelting and targeting the security personnel deployed on the ground.
The ministry has already constituted a committee to suggest alternate methods to deal with mob violence.
