Indian Home Minister P. Chidambaram Thursday signaled that paramilitary troopers would be substituted by Indian police in India-controlled Kashmir in a phased manner, officials said.

The decision to this effect was taken on Thursday in the Unified Command meeting presided by Chidambaram and India-controlled Kashmir's Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah in Srinagar, the region's summer capital.

The move has been taken to cool down the tempers in the region over the alleged rape and murder of two women on May 30, that triggered massive protests over the past 11 days.

"Chidambaram has asked the controlling officers of paramilitary troopers and Indian police to jointly work out a strategy for gradual substitution of paramilitary troopers by police in the essential duties that should ordinarily be performed by the local Police," local government spokesman said.

Chidambaram Thursday arrived at Srinagar on a two-day visit to the region in wake of the recent protests.

The protests triggered over the alleged rape and killing of two women in Shopian town, 50 kilometers south of Srinagar.

Locals alleged the two women aged 17 and 23 years were first raped and then murdered. They suspected the involvement of Indian troopers in the incident. 　

Source: Xinhua