Pampore encounter: Mehbooba Mufti, Nirmal Singh attend wreath laying ceremony for martyrs

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh on Sunday attended the wreath laying ceremony of eight Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel, who lost their lives in an encounter with Lashkar terrorists in Pampore, Jammu and Kashmir.

On Saturday, Mufti had strongly condemned the militant attack on the CRPF convoy saying the assault was aimed at "subverting peace" and development initiatives launched by the state government.

"The only purpose of such blood-spattered acts of violence is to add to the tragedies and miseries of the people and subvert the government's efforts aimed at bringing permanent peace and prosperity to Jammu and Kashmir," she said.

Mehbooba said the elements inimical to interests of Jammu and Kashmir have always tried to derail the peace efforts and the latest militant strike in Pampore was again aimed at "subverting the peace and development initiatives launched by the government".

While expressing solidarity with the bereaved families of the security forces personnel, she prayed for early recovery of the injured.

"I would like to express my sincere condolences to the families who have lost their loved ones in today's dastardly militant attack," she said, adding, violence has not served any purpose in the past, nor is it going to do anything in future, except shedding precious human blood.

Governor N N Vohra too conveyed his grief on the killing of the CRPF personnel in the attack, an official spokesman said.

He said the Governor conveyed his sympathy to the families of those killed and wished early recovery to the injured personnel.

(With PTI inputs)