Ahead of the visit of the EU panel, violence broke out in parts of Kashmir on Tuesday with at least six protesters suffering pellet injuries during clashes with security forces, officials said.
After a brief spell of calm marked by shutdown during the daytime even as private transport continued to ply normally, clashes between security forces and protesters were reported from several areas of the Valley on Tuesday, including in summer capital Srinagar.
Police officials and witnesses said clashes were reported from nearly two dozen places in and around the capital city with young boys pelting stones at security forces who retaliated with baton charge, teargas and pellet grenades.
“Protesters damaged dozens of vehicles with stones and stopped commuters from going to their offices. We have identified culprits in most cases and action will be taken against them,” a senior police officer said.
A delegation of European Union MPs arrived in Kashmir on Tuesday for the first-hand assessment of the situation in Kashmir following the revocation of the state's special status under Article 370 even as the EU has officialy distanced itself from the visit.
During the two-day visit, the EU MPs will be briefed by government officials on the situation in the Valley as well as other parts of Jammu and Kashmir, officials said. Upon their arrival, they were taken to Badami Bagh cantonment where officials briefed them about the security situation.
During the meeting, which took place at 15 Corps Headquarters in Srinagar, the delegation was also briefed on the role of the Pakistani army in pushing militants into India, reports said.
The team later visited Raj Bhawan and called on Governor Satya Pal Malik. According to reports, the team will meet a cross-section of people during their stay in Srinagar. A group claiming to be journalists also met the team.
The team originally comprised 27 parliamentarians, mostly from the extreme right or right-wing parties, but four did not travel to Kashmir and have reportedly returned to their respective countries, officials said.
This is the first high-level foreign delegation visiting Kashmir after the August 5 decision of the Central government announcing the abrogation of provisions of Article 370 and the decision to bifurcate the state into the union territories of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.
The delegation comprised Poland’s Joana Kopcinska, Grzegorz Tobiszowski, Ryszard Czarnecki, Kosma Zlotowski, Bogdan Rzonca, Elzbieta Rafalska; Italy’s Silvia Sardone, Gianna Gancia, Fulvio Martusciello, Guiseppe Ferrandino; France’s France Jamet, Nicholas Bay, Virginie Joron, Julie Lechanteux, Maxette Pirbakas, and Thierry Mariani.
On Monday, the members of the European Parliament met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi. While welcoming the MPs to India, he "expressed the hope that they have a fruitful visit to various parts of the country, including to Jammu and Kashmir".
"Their visit to Jammu and Kashmir should give the delegation a better understanding of the cultural and religious diversity of the region of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh, apart from giving them a clear view of the development and government priorities of the region," a PMO statement said.
National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, who hosted a lunch for the visitors, also gave them an overview of the situation in Jammu and Kashmir. A few weeks ago, a senator of the United States was denied permission to visit Kashmir.
A joint delegation of opposition MPs, including Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, undertaking a visit to Kashmir about two months ago, was not allowed to go beyond the Srinagar airport after their arrival from Delhi and were sent back to the national capital.