Would have liked to give Burhan Wani a chance: Mufti

Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti on Thursday claimed that security forces were unaware that a house they attacked was Hijbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani 's hideout, and that he would have been given a chance had they known about his presence.

Speaking to reporters in Srinagar, Mehbooba said, "How are we supposed to know everything about every encounter? As far as I know, what I heard from the police and the Army, who said they only knew that there were three militants inside the house but did not know who they were." 

"I believe that had they known he was there, Wani would have been given one chance as the situation was fast improving in the state. He would have been given a chance," she added.

The chief minister also attacked National Conference leader and former chief minister Omar Abdullah and said unlike when Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru was hanged in 2013, her government did not get enough time to make arrangements to contain the situation.

"When Afzal Guru was hanged, Omar knew (about it). So he made all the arrangements in advance. We knew nothing and we came to know suddenly. But despite that, we tried to impose curfew so that children do not come out," she said.

At least 47 people died and around 5,500 people, including 3,000 security personnel, have been injured in the violence that rocked the Valley since 8 July, when Wani was killed in an encounter.