Month: January 2016

Mufti’s funeral likely at Hari Niwas in Srinagar, Rajnath to attend last rites

Editor

The funeral prayers of Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Muhammad Sayeed are likely to be held at Hari Niwas even as arrangements have been made at Sher-e-Kashmir Cricket Stadium and Fairview residence on Gupkar as well. Sources disclosed to us that the body of Sayeed is expected to reach Srinagar airport at around 1:30 pm, following which it will be taken to his residence in Srinagar. After Ghusl (ablution), the body will be taken to either of the three places – Hari Niwas, Fairview residence and Sheri Kashmir Cricket…

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Bandipora IITian turns teacher for students of native village

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At a time when coaching centers are charging huge amount of money from students to prepare them for competitive examinations, a 21-year-old IIT student along with his friends from Nowpora village in Bandipora has volunteered to help aspirants in their last minute preparations. It was never easy for Suhail Hassan to get admission into IIT Kharagpur. But today when he is in his final year of graduation, Suhail has returned home just to help aspiring students fulfil their dreams. Suhail, who is on a vacation, has opened an academy in…

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Mercury rises by few notches in Kashmir

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Mercury stayed above the freezing point across Kashmir, barring Gulmarg and Pahalgam towns, while the weather is expected to remain mainly dry for the next few days. Pahalgam witnessed light rainfall during the night and the mercury there settled at minus 3.5 degrees Celsius against the previous night’s zero degrees Celsius, an official of the Meteorological Department said. He said the mercury in the famous ski resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir also dropped from the previous night’s low of minus 5.8 degrees Celsius to settle at minus 8.0 degrees…

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Four jawans of Ladakh Scouts killed in Siachen avalanche

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Four soldiers were killed in an avalanche in Siachen Glacier of Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday morning, a defence official said. “An avalanche has killed four jawans of Ladakh Scouts in Siachen Glacier area,” a defence official told IANS. “The incident occurred around 8.30 a.m. yesterday (on Sunday). The names of the deceased are Havaldar Tsewang Nurbu, Havaldar Dorjay Gyaltsan, Rifleman Muhammad Yusuf and rifleman Jigmaid Chosdup,” said the official, adding that they were on the Southern Glacier on patrol duty when they were buried in the avalanche. The bodies…

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30% Drop in demand of Kashmiri Apples

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The fruit growers and traders in Kashmir are presently a worried lot: Reason, there is almost 30 per cent drop in demand for Kashmiri apples in the Delhi market as compared to last season. The stakeholders believe the drop in the demand is a result of the “overall economic downturn” coupled with some local factors. “The quality of the fruit is not that good this year mainly because of the inclement weather and use of substandard pesticides and fungicides,” they said. Speaking to us, Bashir and Baseer, President, Kashmir Valley…

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Uneasy calm in Pulwama district over hoarding demand

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There is disquiet in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district as many youths in the town are adamant on installing a “martyrs’ memorial board” at “martyrs’ graveyard” in one of the busiest town squares to glorify militants killed by security forces. The demand for a memorial was raised after a local militant, Umais Ahmad Sheikh, was killed in a gunfight in Bandipora district in north Kashmir. The demand intensified following an encounter at Gusso village in the district, in which two militants, including a local, were killed. The Auqaf Committee and the…

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‘Not against good Indo-Pak ties, but Kashmiris can’t be ignored’

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The Hurriyat Conference (G) chairman Syed Ali Geelani on Wednesday cautioned both India and Pakistan “not to take Kashmiris for granted as haven’t given any mandate to anyone to wind up the Kashmir issue.” “Both the countries should keep in mind that the real stakeholders of Kashmir issue are its people. We are not against the friendly relationship between India and Pakistan, but the two countries can’t ignore the wishes, aspirations and sacrifices of Kashmiris and talk about potato and onion trade,” he said in a statement. He said the…

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Parvez Rasool in India-A Squad for Deodhar Trophy

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The Board of Control for Cricket in India on Wednesday announced the India-A squad for the Deodhar Trophy which includes the name of Kashmir’s star cricketer, Parvez Rasool. The India-A and India-B teams feature all the prominent Ranji Trophy performers this season including the top run-getters like ShreyasIyer of Mumbai, Sudip Chatterjee of Bengal, Parvez Rasool of J&K and one of the leading wicket-takers, Krishna Das of Assam. “I am happy but do not want to think much about this India-A recall. My job is to take wickets and score…

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PDP, BJP on collision course over anti-encroachment drive

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BJP leader hits out at CAPD Minister for ‘encouraging encroachments’ on state land The Peoples Democratic Party and the BJP appear to be on a collision course as both parties have taken divergent stands on removing encroachments from state as well as the forest land. Senior BJP leader and state vice-president of the party Chander Mohan Sharma has taken on Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution Minister Choudhary Zulfikar Ali of the PDP for “encouraging encroachments” on state land. “It is very unfortunate that a Cabinet minister of the government has…

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Mufti Mohammad Sayeed dead, daughter Mehbooba set to be J&K CM

Editor

The stage could be set for PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti to be the next chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir with the party and its ally BJP reaching a consensus over the matter following the sudden death of her father Mufti Mohammad Sayeed. Sayeed passed away at New Delhi’s All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) on Thursday morning. Though no decision has been taken as of now, his daughter Mehbooba is seen as the “logical choice” as his successor, said senior BJP sources. With a session of the assembly…

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