Indian-American Congresswoman 'troubled' by reports of arrests in Kashmir
Washington: The Indian-American lawmaker in the US House of Representatives, Pramila Jayapal, has said she was "troubled" over reports of arrests in Jammu and Kashmir after India revoked the Article 370 of the Constitution that granted special status to the state.
"Deeply troubled by reports of Indian Govt's arrests of 2,000 in Kashmir...," Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal said on Saturday.
The Democratic Congresswoman from Washington State, Jayapal is the first-ever and the only Indian-American to be elected to the US House of Representatives.
"Democracy requires transparency, due process and freedom of assembly and speech. These are absolutely essential, even in the most complex of situations," said Jayapal, who is considered as champion on human rights issues in the Congress. She also shared a New York Times news report on her Twitter account.
Congressman Adam Schiff said that fundamental human rights like free speech and access to information must be protected. A day earlier, Congressman Peter King met Indian Consul General in New York to discuss "India-Pakistan dispute" over Kashmir.
"Met with Consul General of India to discuss India-Pakistan dispute over Kashmir. Told him I understood India's action & had concerns over Islamist elements in Pakistan & Kashmir. But b/c of sensitivity & both countries being nuclear powers urged need to seek diplomatic solution," King wrote.
"Very concerned about the situation in Kashmir, particularly the ongoing communications blackout," said Congressman Don Beyer.
Security was stepped up in the Valley at vital installations and mobile and internet services were suspended after the government's decision to abrogate Article 370 on August 5.
On Saturday, restrictions were lifted from most of Kashmir and situation has been improving gradually.
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Cop crushed to death by tractor-trolley used for illegal sand mining in MP; 2 held
Shahdol (MP) (PTI): An assistant sub-inspector (ASI) has been crushed to death by a tractor-trolley used for transporting illegally mined sand in Madhya Pradesh's Shahdol district, a police official said on Sunday.
Two persons have been arrested in connection with the incident which took place on the intervening night of Saturday-Sunday in Badoli village under Beohari police station limits, 90 km from the district headquarters, Superintendent of Police Kumar Prateek told PTI.
ASI Mahendra Bagri, posted at the Beohari police station, was going along with two colleagues to arrest a person in some case.
On the way, they saw a sand-laden tractor-trolley coming towards their direction and tried to stop it, the official said.
Bagri and the other policemen gave a signal to the driver to stop the tractor carrying the illegally mined sand. But he did not stop and the vehicle ran over the ASI, the police official said.
After the incident, the driver jumped from the tractor and ran away. The speeding vehicle went out of control, collided with a culvert and overturned, Prateek said.
Driver Raj Rawat and Ashutosh Singh, who was piloting the vehicle, were later arrested. The vehicle owner, Surendra Singh, is absconding, he said.
A case was registered against the accused on charges of murder and illegal sand mining under provisions of the Indian Penal Code and the Mines Act, the official said.
Additional Director General of Police, Shahdol zone, DC Sagar told reporters that a reward of Rs 30,000 has been announced for anyone providing information that would help the police to arrest Surendra Singh.
'Piloting' in Shahdol is used to refer to moving ahead a vehicle while seeing the road is clear and no checking is being done by authorities.
In November last year, a local revenue department official was crushed to death by a tractor-trolley used for transporting illegally mined sand from the Son river in Gopalpur area of Shahdol district.
