Unnecessary panic created, don't believe rumours: J&K Guv to leaders

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik on Friday asked a delegation of politicians to “maintain calm ad not believe rumours” that are circulating in the Kashmir Valley.

The meeting between the Governor and Jammu and Kashmir politicians came hours after an advisory was issued by the government, asking the Amarnath Yatra pilgrims and tourists to leave amid intelligence inputs of terror threats.  The order set off panic in Srinagar, where people rushed to ATMs, petrol stations and medicine stores to stock up. Some waited for hours in queues only to find that fuel was over.

The Governor informed the delegation that there were serious and credible inputs regarding terrorist attacks on the Amarnath Yatra. The statement issued from the Governor’s office stated: "Unnecessary panic is being created by linking this to all kinds of other issues. A pure security measure is being mixed up with issues with which it has no connection. That is the cause of the panic.”

The delegation included former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti, Shah Faesal, Sajjad Lone and Imran Ansari.

The advisory for pilgrims and tourists was put out barely half-an-hour after the Army and the Jammu and Kashmir police displayed a landmine and a sniper rifle to the media. During the press conference, they said there were "confirmed intelligence reports" that terrorists backed by the Pakistan Army were trying to disrupt the Amarnath Yatra.