Women's groups raise concerns over 'rights violations'

New Delhi : A team of women's rights activists on Tuesday raised concerns over alleged human rights violations in Kashmir after a visit to the Valley, and demanded that Article 370 be restored and the Army as well as paramilitary forces be withdrawn with immediate effect.

Presenting a "fact-finding report", the five-member team also called for the immediate restoration of all communication lines, including internet and mobile networks.

The group, comprising Annie Raja, Kawaljit Kaur and Pankhuri Zaheer from the National Federation of Indian Women, Poonam Kaushik from the Pragatisheel Mahila Sangathan and Syeda Hameed from the Muslim Women's Forum, visited Kashmir from September 17-21.

The group, which addressed a press conference here on their findings, visited several villages in the districts of Shopian, Pulwama and Bandipora.

"We wanted to see with our own eyes how this 43-day lockdown had affected the people, particularly women and children," the report stated.