Day: February 19, 2016

Clashes in Srinagar as cops stop protest march

Editor

Security forces on Friday scuttled a march here by a group of youth carrying posters of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru and messages like ‘Thank you, JNU’, leading to clashes near the historic Jamia Masjid. Soon after the Friday prayers at Kashmir’s main mosque, a group of youth, shouting pro-freedom slogans, tried to take out a march towards Nowhatta Chowk, police said. Some of the youth were carrying the flags of Pakistan and ISIS terror group as also the posters of Afzal Guru who was hanged in New Delhi’s Tihar…

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#SeditionDebate: Everything you need to know about Umar Khalid, the man they’re calling ‘Kashmiri traitor’

Editor

On the evening of 9 February, 30 minutes before the scheduled start of a cultural event organised by the Democratic Students Union (an ultra-leftist group) titled ‘A Country without a Post Office’ to protest against the “judicial killing” of Afzal Guru and Maqbool Bhat, the university administration of Jawaharlal Nehru University cancelled the event. Dozens of students gathered on the Sabarmati lawns — including Kashmiri students — to protest against the cancellation and raised slogans. One among them was Umar Khalid. Former DSU leader Khalid, 28, resigned from his post…

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JNU fallout to decide J&K govt formation?

Editor

With the JNU row showing no sign of ebbing, a dark shadow has been cast over the turbulent PDP-BJP alliance in Jammu & Kashmir. Sources said PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti, who has kept the alliance on hold since her father Mufti Mohammad Sayeed’s demise on January 7, has now decided to wait and watch how the JNU episode unfolds before making any formal announcement. On Wednesday, BJP’s prime negotiator with PDP, Ram Madhav, had met Mehbooba in an attempt to break the logjam that has fanned uncertainty in the state.…

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Geelani, Omar on same page on JNU issues, caution against harassing Kashmiri students

Editor

Separatist Hurriyat Conference and Kashmir based human rights groups have come out in support of striking students and teachers of Jawaharlal Nehru University and have condemned registration of FIR against former Delhi University Professor SAR Geelani. Separatist Hurriyat Conference and Kashmir based human rights groups have come out in support of striking students and teachers of Jawaharlal Nehru University and have condemned registration of FIR against former Delhi University Professor SAR Geelani. They also condemned alleged harassment of Kashmiri students in various campuses in Delhi and other places. Already former…

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Kakapora remains shut against killings for the 4th day

Editor

This south Kashmir town observed a complete shutdown for the fourth running day Thursday to mourn the killing of two students, who died in forces firing earlier this week. Scores of force personnel were deployed around Kakapora town to thwart any protests. All the shops and other business establishments remained closed while traffic was off the roads. In the evening when the deployment was being withdrawn, youth took to the streets and pelted stones on forces. In retaliation, the forces lobbed teargas shells to disperse them. The clashes continued till…

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Kashmir Inc aghast over ‘misuse’ of food safety law

Editor

Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry today expressed serious concern over the “raids and inspections being carried out and disproportionate penalty slapped in the name of Food Safety and Standards (FSS) Act.” President, KCCI, Mushtaq Ahmad Wani said the chamber is dismayed at the manner in which the authorities concerned were implementing the FSS Act. “A sort of panic is being created in the food industry by the uncalled for raids and inspections and disproportionate penalty slapped in the name of FSS Act,” he said. “The FSS Act is in…

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Kashmiri children becoming obese, anemic: UNICEF Survey

Editor

A recent survey has revealed that children and adults in Kashmir are becoming obese or overweight and it could prove fatal if precautions are not taken. The survey has pointed out that there is dire need to focus on child nutrition, while obesity and anemia are the markers of impending health issues in adults. UNICEF prepared report, Results of Rapid Survey on Children (RSoC), for Ministry of Health and Family Welfare recently. The survey states that 10.8 percent adolescents in JK are obese or overweight. On the other hand, the…

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Civil society sounds caution on sectarian profiling by police

Editor

A civil society group Wednesday termed the police move of profiling people on sectarian lines as a well planned strategy to divide people of Kashmir and to divert people’s attention from the ‘main goal of right to self-determination.’ The group urged clerics to stand united and prepare people to defeat ‘New Delhi’s designs of triggering a sectarian rift in the Valley.’ Addressing media persons here, Professor Hameeda Nayeem, chairperson of Kashmir Centre for Social and Developmental Studies (KCSDS), said that police move of profiling people on the basis of their…

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Two killed in Pulwama avalanche

Editor

Two persons were killed at Narastan village of Tral in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district after an avalanche hit them while they were fetching some fodder for animals. The area had received four feet of snow a few days ago. The police said they had excavated the bodies, both of whom were named as Mohammad Yousuf Gojjar. Local residents said both of them had gone to fetch fodder kept in rakhs (meadow patches in a forest area) in the morning and when they did not return some residents went out in…

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Mehbooba’s first public address after Mufti’s death on Sunday

Editor

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) President, Mehbooba Mufti would deliver her first public address after the death of Mufti Muhammad Sayeed at party’s Srinagar headquarters on February 21, Sunday. Since her father’s death, Mehbooba maintained silence over government formation but sought assurances from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on the implementation of Agenda of Alliance, the Common Minimum Programme of the two parties. Mehbooba would address the PDP’s workers convention on February 21, Sunday at PDP’s Srinagar party headquarters. Besides Mehbooba, the meeting would be attended by senior PDP leaders including…

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