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Omar wants CRPF withdrawal plan within 10 days

July 01, 2009 20:07 IST
Concerned over the recent unrest in the Kashmir Valley, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday directed the unified command to come up with a plan in 10 days for the phased replacement of Central Reserve Police Force personnel by local police in law and order duty.

Asking security forces to exercise "highest degree of restraint" while dealing with public protests, Abdullah directed that police be accompanied by magistrates in dealing with law and order situation.

The direction came at the Unified Command meeting convened by him at its headquarters on Wednesday afternoon to review the situation arising out of public protests in Baramulla, where firing by security forces left four persons dead, Shopian and Dooru.

"Abdullah gave directions for working out the first phase substitution of CRPF by Jammu and Kashmir Police in law and order duty within 10 days," an official spokesman told PTI after the meeting.

"No law and order situation or protests should be dealt without the presence of magistrate," the chief minister was quoted as saying.

The CM also called for formulation of Citizens' Advisory committees in every district. This, he said, would help to develop a constant rapport between citizens and the administration and avoid misunderstandings that usually occur on sensitive issues relating to maintenance of law and order.

The unified headquarters meeting was attended by General Officer Commanding of 15th Corps Lt Gen Bikram Singh, Chief Secretary S S Kapur, Director General of Police Kuldeep Khoda and top officials of Crime Investigation Department, Border Security Force, CRPF and Intelligence Bureau.

Kashmir is on the boil since May 30 when bodies of Asiya (17) and her pregnant sister-in-law Nelofar (22), who were allegedly raped and murdered, were recovered near a stream in Shopian, 52 kms from Srinagar after they went missing a day earlier, sparking violent protests.

Four persons have died in firing by security forces during violent protests since Monday after a woman alleged that policemen had misbehaved with her in Baramulla, 55 kms from Srinagar.

Protests rocked Dooru area of south Kashmir for the third day on Wednesday over the alleged disappearance of a teenager in army custody on Sunday.

Police have already registered a case under Section 364 (abduction in order to murder) against the army on Monday.

Basharat Ahmad (16) was allegedly summoned for questioning by army authorities on Saturday last but went missing.

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