The street violence is returning to Kashmir valley with vengeance. Protest has erupted across valley after army killed two local youths in a firing. The incident has also pitted ruling party alliance BJP and PDP against each other. State police lodged murder case against an Army Major and his unit for the killing while BJP has strongly opposed the move. Javaid Ahmad Bhat, 20, and Suhail Javid Lone, 24, were killed on Saturday evening, when security personnel opened fire to chase away protesters who were throwing stones at an Army convoy passing through Ganovpora village in Shopian.
The Army says it fired in “self-defence” when its convoy came under “unprovoked and intense stone pelting” by a mob. This latest flashpoint is major setback towards the effort of finding peaceful solution to Kashmir issue. Only last year government of India appointed former Intelligence Bureau chief Dineshwar Sharma as Centre’s interlocutor to restart the peace process. Mr Sharma had visited valley and started the initial work of resuming peace process. However this latest incident has come as big setback for everyone involved in the efforts towards working out a solution. Now centre along with state government will have to make extra effort to re-start the stalled peace process.