J&K: Azadi will never happen, says Army chief to Kashmir youth; highlights

Days after a 22-year-old tourist from Tamil Nadu died after being hit by a stone, during a protest, in Jammu and Kashmir, Army Chief General Bipin Rawat said he was concerned over Kashmiri youths 'picking up guns' or resorting to stone pelting.

In an interview to the Indian Express, Rawat said youth of Kashmir should understand that 'Azaadi' is not possible. “I want to tell Kashmiri youth that Azadi isn’t possible. It won’t happen. Don’t get carried away unnecessarily. Why are you picking up weapons? We will always fight those who seek Azadi, those who want to secede. (Azadi) is not going to happen, never”.

Recently, several districts in Jammu and Kashmir was rocked by protests after security forces killed five terrorists, including an assistant professor of Kashmir University, in an encounter in south Kashmir's Shopian district on Sunday.

Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday chaired an all-party meet to discuss the situation in Kashmir. After the meeting, Mufti said the central government would be approached with a request to halt security force operations during the forthcoming holy Muslim month of Ramadan and the ensuing Amarnath Yatra.