The Indian Home Ministry vowed on Monday it would not row back on the pledge to fight what it deems "terrorism" in Kashmir as deadly violence has entered the fourth day.
NEW DELHI (Sputnik) — Senior Home Ministry officials held a crisis meeting earlier in the day after the death toll from unrest in India’s Jammu and Kashmir region in the north reached 23. Fighting erupted last Friday after the killing of a Kashmiri militia leader.
"There cannot be any compromise on terrorism," Home Ministry’s official sources said, adding it was "a matter of concern that many protesters are coming out in support of militants."
Burhan Wani, a commander of Kashmir’s largest militia group Hizbul Mujahideen, died in a shootout with Indian security forces. His funerals were attended by thousands of supporters the next day.
The Home Ministry told Sputnik that Wani’s death was a "clear setback" to home-grown militancy and would prevent more youths from joining anti-government insurgency.
"He was becoming an icon… Arresting him or getting him alive would have been extremely difficult," the sources said, adding security forces had been asked to "exercise restraint" to avoid civil casualties.
The region of Kashmir has been disputed by India and Pakistan since the dissolution of British India and the establishment of the two countries in 1947. Some local residents, especially those residing in the Kashmir Valley, call for greater autonomy or even independence from India.
This story first appeared on Sputnik & is reposted here with permission.