Violent protests after Hizb militant killed in Kupwara

Security forces on Tuesday shot dead a top Hizbul Mujahideen militant in Jammu and Kashmir, triggering violent protests in Sopore to which he belonged. Police said Sameer Wani was killed after security forces surrounded a house in Nagri village in Kupwara district, some 100 km from here, following information that some militants were hiding there. A police officer told IANS that security forces came under heavy fire from the hideout, leading to fighting that left Wani, the Hizb divisional commander for north Kashmir, dead. As soon as reports of Wani’s…

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Four terrorists barge into BJP leader’s house, snatch AK 56 from security guard

The suspected terrorists are still on the run. Four suspected terrorists reportedly entered inside Jammu and Kashmir BJP leader Ghulam Mohamad Chopan’s house in Budgam on Tuesday and snatched an AK 56 rifle from his personal security guard. According to initial reports, the incident took in the morning when the BJP leader was at his home in Chandoa of Budgam district. Chadoora is around 17 km from state capital Srinagar. The suspected terrorists overpowered the security guard, snatched a rifle from him and ran away. An alert has been sounded…

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Officials ‘facilitate’ construction of hut in Aru Wildlife zone

In brazen violation of norms, the Pahalgam Development Authority (PDA) here is facilitating construction of a hut by an influential person in Aru wildlife zone. The Supreme Court ruling of 2005 clearly prohibits any sort of construction in the wildlife sanctuaries. “A hut is now coming up near the fisheries hut right on the banks of Lidder river,” an official said. He said that the influential person who has acquired the land in the wildlife zone has already raised a muddy structure in connivance with PDA officials. “The motive is…

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Young shoulders, heavy burden

Badrul-Duja Childhood is simplicity and innocence. Children should not be interfered with in their childhood. A child is a free spirit and therefore there should be interference whatsoever to disturb their innocence and simplicity. They are free from evil motives, free from materialism, free from hate and greed. They should not be robbed off their freedom either at their own homes or schools. A child is a blooming and colorful rose and spreads fragrance in the garden of humanity. Let them grow in the cradle of nature. As they grow…

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NC attacks Mehbooba over remarks linking terror with religion

Opposition National Conference today attacked Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti over her alleged remark that she is “ashamed as a Muslim.” NC spokesperson Junaid Mattu claimed that Mehbooba Mufti while speaking to reporters after the wreath laying ceremony for the CRPF personnel martyred in Pampore has said that “she was ashamed as a Muslim over the attack.” “This is the same Mehbooba Mufti who used to say that terror has no religion. Now suddenly she sees terror as an offshoot of Islam for which Muslims should be ashamed. This is shameful…

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Water woes put power dept, PHE at loggerheads

Frequent faults in special power lines supplying electricity to water-lifting stations has brought the Power Development Department (PDD) and Public Health Engineering (PHE) Department at loggerheads. It has created artificial scarcity of drinking water in Jammu and surrounding areas during summer, but the civic departments are blaming each other for the mess. For weeks now, several residential colonies are not getting regular supply of water during the sweltering summer. On Sunday, the main water-pumping station at Company Bagh remained shut from 8 am to 6 pm due to a technical…

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Wular Lake shrinking due to human settlement: Govt

Government on Monday admitted that Wular Lake has been shrinking due to illegal human settlement over the past few decades. In a written reply to Zafar Iqbal Manhas, Minister for Forests, Choudhary Lal Singh said the net demarcated area of Wular Lake is 130 square kilometres, out of which an area of approximately one square kilometre is under illegal human settlements for the past few decades. “The Wular Lake receives approximately 80 percent water from rivers and streams from the south, central and most parts of North Kashmir. The water…

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Geelani, Mirwaiz, Yasin bat for liquor Ban, KEA protest against Sale

‘Alcohol promotion will hurt sentiments of Muslims’ Demanding complete ban on sale and consumption of liquor in J&K, several separatist leaders on Monday said Jammu and Kashmir is a Muslim-majority state and the stand taken by PDP-BJP government regarding liquor promotion “will hurt the religious sentiments of Muslims.” In a joint statement, Hurriyat Conference (G) chairman Syed Ali Geelani, Hurriyat Conference (M) chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and JKLF chairman Muhammad Yasin Malik said if this substance can be banned in Bihar and Kerala, why can’t it be done in Muslim…

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624 MW Kiru hydel project gets green nod

The Union Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change has given clearance to the 624-MW Kiru hydroelectric project in the state. The forest clearance for the Rs 4,640.88-crore project has already been accorded by the state government on May 19. The green clearance for the project is a major achievement for the Chenab Valley Power Projects (CVPP) which took it over from the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) in June 2013. Now, within three years, it has obtained all major approvals. The project is likely to be completed in 54…

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‘Hindustan Construction Company polluting our water resources’

Bandipora village bears costs of Kishanganga Power Project Inhabitants of a Bandipora village are up in arms against Hindustan Construction Company (HCC) for polluting the water resources of the area. Residents of Pazalpora village told Kashmir POST that the company has polluted the main source of water from where the water is supplied to the village for drinking purpose. “Since the work on construction of the 330 megawatt Kishanganga power project started the water resources of the area either started depleting or they got polluted by the heavy machinery used…

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