Hizb threatens to pour acid in eyes of those who contest panchayat elections

The rural body polls, which could not be held in 2016 following violence after the death of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani, are scheduled to take place from February 15. Kashmir’s indigenous militant organisation Hizbul Mujahideen has purportedly threatened to “pour acid” into the eyes of those who would participate in the upcoming panchayat elections in the state. The threat was conveyed in a clip circulated on social media. The outfit, for the first time, also publically acknowledged killing some of those who participated in the past elections, but said…

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Srinagar, Jammu record season’s lowest temperatures; Leh at -16.8 degrees Celsius

Pahalgam recorded minus 8.9 and Gulmarg minus 9.4 degrees Celsius as their minimum temperatures while Leh recorded a minus 16.8 and Kargil minus 18.8 degrees Celsius. The cities of Srinagar and Jammu on Sunday recorded the season’s lowest minimum temperature at minus 6 and 4 degrees as an intense cold wave has tightened its grip on the state, the weather office said. “The cold wave has further intensified due to the clear night sky. Present weather conditions are likely to continue for another 48 hours,” a MET department official said.…

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Dark world for Kashmir’s pellet victims

For many months, Insha Mushtaq listened to lectures and lessons read to her from textbooks by tutors at her home in the quite Sedow village of Shopian district. She heard the lectures, recorded them and later listened to them again to memorise. It was the only way that the 16-year-old could prepare for her Class X exams. Daughter of a cab driver, Insha was at home in July 2016 when she opened a window and a volley of iron pellets pierced through her face and wounded her eyes. The pellets…

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Mannan Wani, research scholar joins Hizbul, family says lost contact after new year

Wani’s brother said his brother left home for Aligarh a month ago. “All this time, we thought he was in Aligarh. He would talk to us regularly. We don’t have any idea where he is,” he said. A research scholar from Kupwara in J&K has appeared in a photograph posted on social media holding an under barrel grenade launcher, with a message claiming that he has joined the militancy. Mannan Wani, son of Bashir Ahmad Wani, joined the Hizbul Mujahideen on January 5, states the message along with the photograph…

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Are Muslims to be blamed for Pandit Migration?

Muslims need to stop being apologetic for a crime which we didn’t commit The Kashmiri Pandit“trump” card is often employed not only by the right wing parties but also by the mainstream media and the general masses of India to justify the wanton acts of brutality and oppression inflicted upon the hapless people of Kashmir. This card is also used to deny us our basic right the right to self-determination. In general the Kashmiri Muslims are held culpable for the “ethnic cleansing” and so called “genocide” of Pandits which later…

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NIA to file chargesheet against Hurriyat leaders in terror funding case by mid-January

The NIA is ready with its charge sheet against Hurriyat leaders in the Kashmir terror funding case. The NIA had lodged FIRs against them after India Today aired a sting operation exposing these separatist leaders. Nine months after India Today aired the sting operation that caught top Hurriyat leaders admitting to fomenting trouble in the Kashmir Valley for financial benefits from across the border, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) is likely to file its charge sheet this month. The charge sheet in the Kashmir “terror funding” case will be filed…

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Center’s ‘Hard, Militaristic’ approach failed to restore peace in Kashmir: Chidambaram

Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Sunday took aim at the Modi government for its failure to restore peace in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K). Chidambaram slammed the Centre’s “hard, muscular, militaristic” approach in handling terrorism in the restive state, which far from yielding positive results has exacerbated the problem instead. Quoting data released by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), he pointed out that the number of civilians and terrorists killed in J&K had almost doubled from 28 to 57 and from 110 to 218 from 2014 to 2017 respectively.…

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For playing Pakistan’s national anthem cricket teams booked in Bandipora

Several players are also reportedly detained after a video of the incident went viral. Two cricket teams have been booked and several players were reportedly detained for standing in honour of Pakistan’s national anthem being played before the start of a match in north Kashmir’s Bandipora district. The arrests were made after a video of the incident, which took place on January 3, went viral on social media. In the video, two cricket teams – one wearing green and another white – are purportedly seen standing in attention in two…

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Manzoor Ahmad Dar, Kashmir’s newest cricket sensation

A weightlifter, kabbadi player, wood artist and a security guard — all explain one man and converge at cricket. And if luck smiles on him, he may well be one of the hottest properties this Indian Premier League (IPL) season. Village lad Manzoor Ahmad Dar, 24, can hit the ball hard, handsome and long, even with a raw willow cleft, forget an English willow. His coach and selectors swear by his raw talent and ability to hit balls out of the biggest grounds. “He is Mr 100 metre sixer man,”…

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