Kashmir police officer suspected of recruiting rebels then killing them

Shiv Kumar Sharma accused of convincing locals to become insurgents then turning them in or killing them to receive rewards A top counterinsurgency officer in Indian-controlled Kashmir has been arrested and is suspected of encouraging men to join rebel groups before turning them in or killing them to receive rewards, police said on Wednesday. Sub-inspector Shiv Kumar Sharma and his bodyguard were arrested on Tuesday for alleged links to a militant cell involved in a grenade attack in April on a police station in the disputed Himalayan region, said police…

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World Bank asks Pak to accept India’s offer of appointing a neutral expert on Kishan Ganga dispute

The World Bank has asked Pakistan that it should accept India’s offer of appointing a “neutral expert” on the Kishanganga dam dispute instead of instead of insisting to refer it to the International Court of Arbitration (ICA), according to a media report today. Pakistan considers the construction of the Kishanganga dam in Kashmir over the waters flowing into the western rivers a violation of the Indus Waters Treaty 1960. It wants the dispute to be referred to the ICA. World Bank President Jim Yong Kim in a fresh communication last…

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Heavy militarization of Kashmir Valley risking Environment, Ecology

Policy Group, civil society ask Govt to adopt concrete measures to save environment Several members of Environment Policy Group (EPG) and civil society Monday asked the government to adopt concrete measures to save the environment from degradation. Holding placards and banners, Environmental Policy Group (EPG) in coordination with various tour operators, civil society members, FCIK members, Earth day network and eco-peace resource members held a demonstration at Pratap Park to put the focus on environmental concerns. The members said the government has shown no seriousness to save the environment and…

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Govt, Hurriyat may talk in renewed peace push in J&K

In the upcoming meeting with home minister Rajnath Singh, Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti is expected to strongly recommend extending the suspension of security operations in the state for another two months. The ground is being laid for a meeting between the Centre’s special representative to Jammu and Kashmir, Dineshwar Sharma, and the separatist leadership in the Valley, government officials and the separatists have independently confirmed, even as New Delhi makes renewed efforts to restore peace in a region where violence has peaked in recent weeks. “The meeting…

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36 Killed, 15 Grenade attacks across J&K during last 3 weeks

In three weeks of halting security operations during Ramazan, 36 people including, 16 militants, 10 civilians and 10 armed forces personnel were killed and 15 grenade attacks took place across Kashmir. In these grenade attacks over 40 people, including 17 armed forces personnel were injured . During this period, militants allegedly decamped with seven rifles from four different spots. The infiltration, police sources said, is also taking place at a high pace and all 16 militants killed in last 20 days were shot dead in border districts of the Valley.…

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Sajad Mir & Shahid Bhat arrested for spreading fake news

Two administrators of these self-styled news groups — Sajad Ahmad Mir and Shahid Ahmad Bhat, residents of Pampore — have been identified and apprehended. Two administrators of social media groups were arrested today for allegedly spreading fake news with the intention of harming the reputation and safety of some youth in Kashmir, police said. “The Awantipora Police received information through reliable sources that some self-styled news groups viz ‘Kashmir Zone’, ‘Hamza Hizbi’ and ‘Quick News’ have circulated photographs of some youth with malicious intention on social networking sites whereby rumours…

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Omar Abdullah praises BJP’s U-turn on Kashmir Policy

Former Chief Minister and National Conference (NC) working president Omar Abdullah on Tuesday said the Centre has made much “needed U-turn on Kashmir policy”. Reacting to BJP national general secretary Ram Madhav’s remarks on holding a dialogue with Hurriyat in J&K, Mr. Abdullah said, “After spending the last four years telling the nation and the world how the Hurriyat was irrelevant in Kashmir now the BJP and its government has made a major and much needed U-turn,” Omar wrote on Twitter. Meanwhile, Mr. Abdullah was again nominated as the party’s…

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