-The Times of India   A spate of violent strikes in Kashmir indicates the Valley's tenuous security situation. Targeting security personnel and ordinary civilians, the attacks in Srinagar and Bijbehara seemed designed to send out the message that militancy is alive and kicking. Their timing is as significant. They come on the heels of chief minister Omar Abdullah's push to have the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) revoked from certain districts....

-BBC   Police in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh have registered cases against 16 police officers nearly six months after they were accused of rape. The personnel of the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) are accused of committing the crimes during protests by farmers in Bhatta-Parsaul villages. Villagers had clashed with the police in May while protesting against the government acquisition of their land. Farmers said they were being forced to give up land...

The team of interlocutors appointed by the West Bengal Government to explore the possibility of peace talks with the Maoists has submitted a note on the discussions. The note was sent to the Government and the State leadership of the Communist Party of India (Maoist). It “summarises the discussions” the interlocutors had with both the sides since it was formed in July. Implicit in the note are the views of the interlocutors...

‘Our police are capable of shouldering tasks with capacity and calibre' Some parts of Kashmir may soon be free from the Disturbed Areas Act (DAA), thus paving the way for the withdrawal of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA), a long pending demand of political parties and human rights groups. An indication to this effect was given by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah at a police commemoration day function at Zewan, near...

-PTI   The Armed Forces Special Powers Act and the Disturbed Areas Act will be revoked from some areas of Jammu and Kashmir within the next few days, chief minister Omar Abdullah said on Friday. While assuring the people that revocation of these laws will not have any adverse affects, he said the measure will, however, put an added responsibility on the shoulders of state police and paramilitary forces. "Time has come for revocation...