Ghulam Nabi Azad voices concern over Kashmir situation

Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad on Monday expressed grief and sorrow over the death of over 20 people in the Kashmir Valley and voiced "deep concern" over the situation in the state.

Azad, who heads the opposition in the Rajya Sabha, said the law and order situation in Jammu and Kashmir should be restored as soon as possible.

"The need of the hour is to ensure that the law and order is restored at the earliest without any further loss of lives," he said in a statement here.

Azad wished speedy recovery to the more than 200 civilians and security personnel injured in the violence that erupted after a top militant, Burhan Wani, was killed on Friday.

Earlier, Congress President Sonia Gandhi appealed to people to maintain peace in Jammu and Kashmir and said that the political gains made over the past two decades in the state must not get lost.