Rajnath Singh chairs high-level meeting in Kashmir

Srinagar, July 24 (IANS) Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday chaired a high-level security meeting, met delegations of political parties and is slated to visit south Kashmir's Anantnag district before returning to New Delhi.

A National Conference (NC) delegation led by former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah met Rajnath Singh in Srinagar's Nehru Guest House.

He also met a delegation of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and some other political leaders of Kashmir.

The high-level security review meeting was attended by Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, senior bureaucrats, police officials and those from state and central intelligence agencies besides top officials of para-miliatry forces.

Rajnath Singh is scheduled to visit the crisis-hit Anantnag district where he will take stock of the ground situation and interact with administrative officials.

The Home Minister will fly back to New Delhi on Sunday evening, concluding his two-day visit to the trouble-torn valley.

Authorities have already lifted curfew from four of the 10 districts in the Kashmir Valley earlier on Sunday.

Restrictions imposed in the rest of the areas were slightly eased as the ground situation has showed marginal signs of improvement after 15 days of heightened tension across the valley following the death of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani on July 9 that has so far resulted in the loss of 46 lives.