Indian army evacuates Kashmir hospitals, schools

The Indian army has evacuated all hospitals and schools in Indian-administered Kashmir in a bid to “improve security situation” there.

“This has been done to reduce the visibility of the army, without in anyway diluting out counter-militant grid,” Defense Minister A K Antony said on Wednesday in a visit to the region.

The paramilitary police will take more responsibility in securing the state, most notably the key Jammu-Srinagar highway, he noted.

The Indian minister said “the process of winning hearts and minds of people is never an easy one,” recalling the unpopular presence of the Indian army in the state.

The military has recently pulled some 30,000 troops out of Kashmir.

However, the Indian official warned that militant attempts to infiltrate into the region from Pakistan had increased.