Jolted by the militant attack on Minister of State for Law and Parliamentary Affairs Ali Mohammad Sagar on Sunday evening in Srinagar, the security situation in Kashmir was reviewed at a high level meeting on Monday.
The meeting chaired by the Minister of State for Home Nasir Aslam Wani was attended by state Director General of Police Kuldeep Khuda, senior officers of the state police, intelligence and paramilitary, the central reserve police force. During the meeting, the minister was briefed about the overall security scenario in the state.
Wani asked the civil and police administration to maintain high vigil so that peace and tranquility is maintained in the region.
The minister later laid floral wreaths over the coffin of Gulzar Ahmad, the security guard, who was killed in Sunday's attack at Nawab Bazzar in old city. Sagar, who escaped bid on his life in the militant attack, also attended the funeral.
Meanwhile, Pakistan-based Jamiatul Mujaheedin militant outfit has owned responsibility for the attack on the minister. In a statement, Jamiatul Mujaheedin spokesman Jameel
Ahmad said, "The attack on the minister was outfit's reaction to Farooq Abdullah's statement to re-open cinemas and liquor shops in the Valley." The outfit said its Al-Jabbar squad had carried out the ambush intended to kill the senior National Conference minister.
The group threatened similar attacks against mainstream politicians in the future as well.
Image: Jammu and Kashmir Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ali Mohammad Sagar lays a wreath on the coffin of the guard, who was killed in the attack by militants on Sunday | Photograph: Umar Ganie/Rediff.com
