Exams Postponed, Train Services Suspended as tension continues across valley post Sunday’s gun battles

Authorities have decided to close all educational institutions and postpone exams scheduled for Wednesday as tension continued in the Kashmir Valley. Heavy security deployment is also in place to maintain law and order. Security forces have been heavily deployed in Srinagar and other sensitive places in Kashmir to maintain peace,and law and order on Wednesday, officials said, even though separatists did not call for a shutdown. Authorities decided to close all educational institutions and postpone exams scheduled for the day as tension continued in the Valley. Train services have also…

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Kashmir and growing anti-India narrative

Kashmir’s narrative has made a grand shift from “azadi” or freedom to the “complete destruction of India”. The slogan of “azadi” that characterised the essence of Kashmir insurgency in the 1990s now serves as a thin veil for the real objective of militants, their supporters in the Valley — to work for the annihilation of India. On Saturday evening, groups of youth while strolling at Boulevard chanted “Jung ladenge Hindustan ki barbadi tak” (The war will be fought until the destruction of India”. They were loud enough to be heard…

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Devinder Singh a sikh leader slapped with PSA for ‘Mirpur-Kotli chalo’ call

A Sikh leader, held last year for his alleged role in the some transaction case but released later on bail, has been detained under Public Safety Act (PSA) for making “provocative speeches”, the police said today. An advocate by profession, Devinder Singh Behl had been arrested last year too by NIA sleuths, was detained for making “provocative speeches in public meeting” at Nowshera area of Rajouri district on Sunday. “We have detained Behl under Public Safety Act (PSA) for his attempts to instigate people in Nowshera by making provocative statements…

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Let’s work for a peaceful summer: Mehbooba Mufti to Police

Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti asked government forces yet again on Tuesday to strictly adhere to Standard Operating Procedure (COP) during gun battles with militants and directed top police officers to put in their best efforts for ensuring a peaceful summer ahead. The CM during a high level security review meeting at her Gupkar residence in the summer capital also directed top police officers to ensure “maximum restraint” while dealing with street protests. The beleaguered CM cut short her visit to New Delhi and rushed back to Srinagar Monday evening following…

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Bhadarwah, Kishtwar observes shutdown aganist Shopian Killings

Normal life was affected Tuesday in Bhadarwah and Kishtwar as the twin towns of Chenab valley observed a shutdown called by Anjuman Islamia Bhadarwah and Imam of Jamia Masjid Kishtawar to express resentment over the killing of civilians during the recent bloody encounters and clashes in Shopian district. Shops, other business establishments and some private schools remained closed, but government schools, offices and banks remained open. President Anjuman Islamia Bhadarwah, Pervaiz Ahmed Sheikh said the strike call was issued to lodge protest against the killing of innocent civilians in Kashmir.…

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Afridi, Gambhir in Twitter spat over Kashmir Issue

Pakistani international cricketer Shahid Afridi’s tweet on the “worrisome situation” in “Indian-occupied Kashmir” earned him a caustic riposte from Gautam Gambhir on Tuesday. The Pakistani cricketer tweeted on Tuesday, “Appalling and worrisome situation ongoing in the Indian Occupied Kashmir. Innocents being shot down by oppressive regime to clamp voice of self-determination & independence. Wonder where is the @UN & other int bodies & why aren’t they making efforts to stop this bloodshed?” Gambhir responded, “Media called me for reaction on @SAfridiOfficial tweet on OUR Kashmir & @UN. Afridi is only…

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Restrictions continue after extension of resistance called shutdown across Kashmir Valley

Restrictions continued in parts of Srinagar and some other places in the Kashmir Valley on Tuesday after separatists extended their protest shutdown against the killings of four civilians in Shopian district on Sunday. Restrictions will remain in force in seven police station areas of the city and other sensitive areas in south Kashmir to maintain law and order, the police said. Heavy contingents of police and the paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) have been deployed. Shops, public transport, businesses and educational institutions remained closed in the Valley for the…

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#FakeNews – Tourism stakeholders lodge FIR against TOI

Taking cognizance of news report in Times of India (GoI) about attacks on tourists, local travel and hotel associations Tuesday jointly filed an FIR with the Police Station Kothibagh against the newspaper’s Srinagar correspondent Saleem Pandit. In the FIR number 26/2018 U/S 502 (2) RPC, the tourism stakeholders said no tourist was hurt by any incident of stone pelting. Talking to Kashmir Post, President Travel Agents Association of Kashmir Ashfaq Siddiq Dug said they filed the FIR against Pandit for false and factually incorrect reports. He said due to fake…

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Article 370 not a temporary provision: Supreme Court

The Supreme Court Tuesday said that Article 370 of the Constitution which gives special status to Jammu and Kashmir is not a temporary provision. The apex court said that in its earlier verdict of 2017 in the SARFESI case, it has been already held that Article 370 was “not a temporary provision”. “The issue concerned is covered by the judgement of this court in the 2017 SARFAESI matter, where we have held that despite the headnote of Article 370, it is not a temporary provision,” a bench of justices A…

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