Month: August 2016

Pro-freedom rally held in Pulwama despite raids; Geelani lashes out at Touseef Mir duty officer Khanabal

Editor

Thousands of people held a pro-freedom rally in a village in Pulwama district in south Kashmir despite a forces raid to foil it. Reports said that forces thrashed the participants and ransacked the venue of a rally in Babgam-Chandgam village hours ahead of its scheduled beginning. People resisted the forces’ action and kept on marching towards the village where the rally was attended by thousands. Meanwhile, Hurriyat patriarch Syed Ali Geelani Saturday strongly reacted and condemned the atrocities at Khanabal this morning. “According to reports reaching here at Hurriyat Headquarters…

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Curfew continues in Valley for 29th day post fresh killings

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40 injured by pellets in Chee – Anantnag Fruit growers’ body vows to back Hurriyat programme, ready to ‘face business losses’ Thousands bid farewell to Khansahib youth Kishtwar Muslim Shoura Committee declares August 15 as ‘Black Day’ Doda, Kishtwar, Banihal areas shut against civilian killings Curfew continued on Saturday in many parts of Kashmir, a day after fresh violence left three persons dead, while normal life remained paralysed for the 29 consecutive day. “Curfew remains in force in six police station areas of Srinagar — Nowhatta, Khanyar, Rainawari, Safakadal, Maharajgunj…

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In Mufti’s Bijbehara change is fast and overwhelming

Editor

At the central Jamia Masjid in old town Bijbehara, around 7,000 people offered Friday prayers, a third collective Jummah prayer in a row, following the death of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Muzaffar Wani. People from all walks of life had converged from adjoining villages to present a unified message amid a show of defiance and support for the ongoing uprising that has gripped Kashmir for over three weeks now. The speakers called for unity, asking people to remain steadfast and follow the Hurriyat calendar. A message from the Hizbul Mujahideen…

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Pellet Guns come under scanner after killing 3 Persons, Blinding hundreds across Kashmir Valley

Editor

Are pellet guns the non-lethal means to control mobs? That’s the question rights groups are asking as hundreds have been blinded by pellets in the ongoing unrest in Kashmir. Earlier this week, a 20-year-old lost his life as 360 pellets were pumped into him. Two others have reportedly died from pellet injuries as well. Pellet guns were introduced as a non-lethal alternative after the 2010 Kashmir unrest, when 120 people died as stone-throwing mobs took to the streets. For 2016, the abiding picture will be blinded eyes. The Central Reserve…

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Pro-freedom rally in Anantnag; 40 Injured in clashes including 7 women

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Government forces on Saturday resorted to aerial firing and used teargas shelling to prevent a fro-freedom rally in Chee village of Anantnag district of south Kashmir. 40 civilians, including seven women, were injured in the forces’ action, reports said, adding that the injured were shifted to District Hospital for treatment. The rally of different religious thoughts was scheduled at 11 am, said a local. “The forces raided the venue, ransacked the dias and took away tents when we were making preparations for the peaceful rally,” he alleged. “When some people…

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Dy CM uttering anything to save chair: BJP ex-chief

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In a major embarrassment for the BJP, the party’s stalwart and former state party president Ashok Khajuria today hit out at Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh for his controversial remarks on the killing of militant commander Burhan Wani, saying “the BJP does not subscribe to the views of those who termed Burhan’s elimination as an accident”. He also described the PDP and the BJP alliance for forming government in the state as “unholy and unhealthy” and warned that any act of the ruling alliance hurting the interests of the country…

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Records nail Centre’s claim; ‘378 eyes hit by pellets in 28 days’

Editor

In the past 28 days of Kashmir unrest, at least 378 eyes have been hit by pellets resulting in their loss of vision, hospital records revealed on Friday—the day the Centre told the Supreme Court that only 51 persons with eye-injuries were treated in the Valley hospitals. With no let-up in use of pellet guns and persisting police persecution of the victims, even in hospitals, doctors fear the worse: “more youth may lose eyesight.” The number of youth battling pellet injuries in one or both eyes—and results in loss of…

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Cong asks BJP to come clear on ‘Police Apology’ remark of Chief Minister

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The Congress today asked the BJP to come clear on the statement of Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti in which she had asked the police to apologise for the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani. A section of the media had reportedly quoted a senior police officer as saying that the Chief Minister had instructed the police to apologise to the Kashmiri youth for the killing of Burhan Wani. “Such reports were published two days ago and the government has yet not contradicted the same which substantiates the authenticity of…

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Geelani condemns Rajnath’s statement in SAARC summit

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‘India wants to hide its terrorist activities by such statements’ Chairman Hurriyat (G), Syed Ali Geelani while reacting to the statement of the Home Minister Rajnath Singh in the recent SAARC summit Friday said India is the “largest terrorist country in the world and if anyone is needed to be isolated it is this very country.” Geelani was reacting to Singh’s statement in Islamabad Pakistan in which he had said “the terror sponsored countries should be isolated.” Addressing the media persons before his arrest Geelani said by issuing such statements,…

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As unrest continues, Private Sector faces crisis

Editor

With Kashmir unrest continuing for the fifth consecutive week without even a day’s break, the private sector employees are under increasing pressure to work or face repercussion which include cuts in salary or even getting fired from the service. The private sector in Kashmir is largely limited to sales sector, mostly involving banking, insurance, telecom, and pharmaceutical companies. The sector has remained in a state of paralysis in the region since July 8 when the killing of militant commander Burhan Wani triggered widespread protests across all districts of the Kashmir…

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