Pakistan instigating Kashmiri youth through WhatsApp, Facebook: Rajnath Singh

Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday accused Pakistan of using social media to incite youths in Kashmir to storm encounter sites to help holed-up militants, after some members in Lok Sabha raised the issue of death of three civilians in Budgam in firing by security forces.

Responding to Saugata Roy (TMC) expressing concern saying the situation in the Kashmir Valley was very grave and seeking his intervention, Singh said the security forces were dealing with terrorism in a way they should and they will surely be successful. He said the strife-torn region had seen a "new trend" of late in which youths from nearby villages gather at the sites of encounter between security forces and terrorists and pelt stones to help the militants holed-up there to flee.

"I will appeal to youths not to be misled by Pakistan. Some social media applications like Whatsapp and Facebook are used to gather youths at places of encounters. These groups are based in Pakistan," he said.

"Security forces are dealing with terrorists exactly the way they should and will continue to do so. I want to say that we will definitely be successful," he added.

Pakistan-sponsored terrorists are trying to destabilise not only Kashmir but entire India, Singh said. KC Venugopal (Congress) also raised the issue of deaths of civilians. Roy noted that he was a member of the all-party delegation which had visited Kashmir earlier and the situation there had again become very grave.