Month: August 2016

No end to Clashes, Protests despite strict Curfew

Editor

Even as curfew and restrictions continued in most area of the Valley for the 31st day today, at least 20 persons, including 12 policemen, were injured in clashes between protesters and police personnel at Bijbehara in Anantnag district of south Kashmir today. Nearly 50 others, including 11 civilians and 38 police and CRPF personnel, were injured in clashes at Langate in Kupwara district of north Kashmir on Sunday evening. Three of them were referred to hospitals in Srinagar. A police spokesman said five minor incidents of stone-throwing were reported from…

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A ‘Kashmir Ki Kali’ poster wakes world to pellet blind spot

Editor

Cartoonist uses Sharmila Tagore’s iconic image from Hindi film to highlight pain of blinded protesters. Sharmila Tagore and Shammi Kapoor’s musical shikara romance mesmerized audiences in Kashmir Ki Kali five decades ago. Today, the valley is troubled and cartoonist Mir Suhail decided to visualise the darkness of eyes blinded by pellet guns through the iconic poster of the film featuring the two stars. Thus, Sharmila Tagore gazes down, one eye hit by pellets, in the recreated poster. It is one more artistic protest to focus the world’s attention on the…

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A season of loss in Kashmir

Editor

Why is it that the deaths in Kashmir, and the blinding of more than 100 people are never referred to in the media or in drawing rooms as the death and injury of Indians? For days after the killing of Burhan Wani, every TV channel rang with acrimonious debate. Wani was described by India as a terrorist and by Pakistan as a martyr. The media resounded to argument and indignation. The number of dead and injured continued to rise relentlessly. Among the earliest to be killed was Yasmina of a…

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State BJP asks JK govt to deal Kashmir situation with Iron Hand

Editor

It may be impossible to bring the normalcy back on the track in Kashmir if the government doesn’t meet the challenge posed by the separatists and militants supported by Pakistan. With over 6000 wounded and over 50 persons dead since July 8 when protests broke out in Valley over Hizbul Mujahedeen commander Burhan Muzaffer Wani’s killing, the State BJP today asked the state government to deal with the present situation in the Valley firmly. FIGHT FOR NORMALCY IN KASHMIR “There is no option for the government other than meeting the…

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Police to take on those ‘Organising’ Unrest in Kashmir, Army to Back-Up: Sources

Editor

With the crisis in Kashmir showing no signs of abating, the valley is now likely to see more of intelligence-based operations by the local police to take on those who are “organising” the unrest, top sources have told NDTV. The Army will also be more visible in the valley as it backs up the local police and the para-military. They will, however, concentrate on their main role – counter-insurgency and counter infiltration operations, sources said. The Army has ‘Victor’ Force in South Kashmir and ‘Kilo’ Force in North Kashmir. Jammu…

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‘IIT for Jammu, Bullets for Kashmir?’ ask NC

Editor

National Conference on Sunday expressed alarm over BJP’s intentions, saying it would divide J&K into two and further augment the perception of its prejudice against the people of Kashmir. Lashing out at BJP, NC State Spokesperson Junaid Azim Mattu said the timing of IIT Jammu inauguration was insensitive towards the people of Kashmir and underlined the party’s contempt towards the sentiment in the Valley. “When you cut ribbons in Jammu at a time when Kashmir is on fire and when coffins of young boys are being lowered into graves here.…

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Curfew, Shutdown continue in Valley; Army asked to ‘Secure Highways, Stop Protests’

Editor

Government-enforced curfew and separatist-called shutdown continued for an unprecedented 31st day on Monday in the Kashmir Valley as the death toll in the month-long unrest mounted to 58 after an injured civilian succumbed at a hospital here. There were more violent protests across the valley in which at least a dozen civilians were wounded, a police spokesman said here. The civilians were wounded in clashes with the security forces in the south Kashmir highway town of Bijbehara. Police said the injured have been shifted to hospital for treatment. An angry…

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Mehbooba Mufti meets Rajnath Singh in wake of Kashmir unrest

Editor

Jammu & Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti on Monday urged the Centre to reach out to the people of the troubled state and talk to all stakeholders. “Jammu and Kashmir can become a bridge between India and Pakistan, if proper dialogue process is initiated,” the Jammu & Kashmir chief minister said after a meeting with Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh. She met the Home Minister in the wake of unrest in the valley following the death of Hizbul commander Burhan Wani. At least 50 people have lost their lives and…

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Clashes in Srinagar, Anantnag; Mehbooba meets Rajnath to discuss Kashmir situation

Editor

Police on Monday resorted to tear gas shelling in Dalgate area of Srinagar soon after people assembled to offer Assar prayer on the road. Local sources said that as soon as people started offering Assar prayer, on the road as a mark of protest against the civilian killings, police and forces fired many tear smoke shells and did not allow the prayers. They said that police action was followed by stone pelting by protesters. Meanwhile, Hurriyat (M) spokesman, advocate Shahid ul Islam has strongly condemned the police action in Dalgate and termed…

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Burhan Wani’s father new face of stir, offers daughter to ‘Struggle’

Editor

The father of slain Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani is emerging a leader of the protest movement in the Valley, overshadowing established separatist voices like Syed Ali Shah Geelani and the Mirwaiz. On Friday, Muzaffar Wani led a procession of thousands in Pampore as more people turned up to hear him, ignoring a call by the Hurriyat factions to march to Hazratbal in Srinagar. A recently formed umbrella separatist group, which includes Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Yasin Malik of the JKLF, had given a call for ‘Dargah chalo’ on…

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