Kashmiri truck driver killed in stone-pelting by protesters in Anantnag district: Police

A truck driver was killed protesters hurled stones at his vehicle in south Kashmir's Anantnag district on Sunday evening, the police said, reported news agency PTI. Noor Mohammed Dar, 42, who belonged to the same Zradipora Uranhall locality, was returning home when protesters mistook his truck for a security force vehicle and hurled stones at it.

The driver, who was hit on the head, was shifted to a hospital, where doctors declared him brought dead, they said. The police said protesters have been hurling stones even at civilians and earlier this month, they injured an 11-year-old girl in the eye at downtown of Srinagar city.

Director General of Jammu and Kashmir Police Dilbag Singh has directed officials to catch the culprits and ensure that stern action is taken against them, the police added.

The incident came hours after the Congress hit out at the Modi government over the situation prevailing in Jammu and Kashmir, with Rahul Gandhi saying the opposition and the press got a taste of the "draconian administration" and "brute force" unleashed on the people there when they tried to visit Srinagar.

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra slammed the Centre for alleging that the opposition was politicising the issue, saying there is nothing more "political" and "anti-national" than the alleged "shutting down" of democratic rights of people in Kashmir.

A delegation of opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, which wanted to visit the Valley to take stock of the situation after the withdrawal of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir on August 5, was not allowed to leave the Srinagar airport on Saturday by the state administration and had to return to the national capital.

The visit was organised a day after the Jammu and Kashmir government issued a statement asking political leaders to not visit the Valley as it would disturb the gradual restoration of peace and normal life.

On Sunday, a day after the failed opposition visit, Priyanka Gandhi posted a video on Twitter in which a woman is seen telling Rahul Gandhi, on the flight from Srinagar, the problems being faced by her family and loved ones.

Earlier this month, the government had revoked J&K's special status under Article 370 and bifurcated the state into two Union territories -- Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.

During Saturday's attempt to visit the Valley, Gandhi was accompanied by leaders of CPI(M), CPI, DMK, NCP, JD(S), RJD, LJD and TMC.

The leaders included Congress's Ghulam Nabi Azad, Anand Sharma and KC Venugopal, CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury , Tiruchi Siva (DMK), Sharad Yadav (LJD), Dinesh Trivedi (TMC), D Raja (CPI), Majeed Menon (NCP), Manoj Jha (RJD) and D Kupendra Reddy JD(S).

Saturday evening, J-K Principal Secretary Rohit Kansal told reporters that the priority is to maintain security and law and order at a time when the threat of cross-border terrorism continues to exist.

"They (delegation members) had been requested to not visit the Valley," he said. 

(With PTI inputs)