Kashmir interlocutor meets students

Centre's special envoy on Kashmir, Dineshwar Sharma, on Tuesday visited Anantnag, considered to be the epicentre of last year's unrest in the Valley, and met college students who asked him to ensure that peace is restored in the area.

Sharma, who is on his second visit to the state in about three weeks, met around 15 delegations in Anantnag, which saw widespread protests last year following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen militant group's poster boy Burhan Wani.

The 61-year-old former director of Intelligence Bureau was flooded with complaints ranging from alleged police excesses to those against news channels, lack of development, etc., officials said.

Students of various colleges made an emotional plea to Sharma, urging him to rid the area of violence. Girls requested Sharma to create an atmosphere where gun culture would come to an end and peace is restored. Some of them even suggested to Sharma that talks be held with separatist groups.

The students also highlighted that the national media, especially electronic media, was portraying the Valley in bad light and urged him to ensure an end to "biased" coverage.