Pellet guns should be reclassified as lethal weapons: Experts

Rubber bullets and pellet guns should be reclassified as lethal weapons as they cause significant damage to all the tissues of the limbs including the bones, according to a team of doctors. Rubber bullets are blunt-nosed with a muzzle velocity of around 70m/s and a kinetic energy of nearly 400J. A study by doctors of Srinagar’s SKIMS Medical College published in the Chinese Journal of Traumatology states that the degree of a wound would depend on the conditions under which the rubber bullets are fired. According to the study, shorter…

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Strict curfew still on as resistance camp extend protest till August 5

Authorities on Sunday continued curfew and restrictions in the Kashmir Valley as the separatists have extended their protest shutdown programme till August 5. A senior police officer said the curfew would continue in the districts of Pulwama, Kulgam and parts of Shopian town while restrictions will remain in many other parts of the Valley including old city areas of Srinagar. The officer said the security forces are handling the law and order situation with extreme caution and restraint. “Force is only used to prevent large scale violence and destruction of…

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Valley remains tense, several injured in fresh clashes, Youth from Sopore succumbs taking death toll to 54

A youth identified as Ishfaq Ahmad Dar of Sopore on Sunday morning succumbed to injuries in SKIMS hospital. Ishfaq was ruthlessly beaten by armed forces on 23 July in Sopore. With this death, the death toll so far has reached to 54. Amid complete shutdown and undeclared curfew-like restrictions in many Kashmir areas, clashes were witnessed in Srinagar and various places in North and South of Valley in which at least 20 people including a girl sustained pellet, bullet and teargas shell injuries. Massive pro-freedom rallies and candlelight protests were held in…

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Follow programmes announced by resistance leadership: LeT to people

The militant outfit Lashkar-e-Toiba (LET), on Saturday asked people to follow the programmes of joint resistance leadership (Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik) in letter and spirit. In a statement the LeT spokesperson Dr Abdullah Ghaznavi while quoting the chief commander of the outfit Mehmood Shah said, “We respect the aspirations of Kashmiri people. We want to inform them that LeT only issues statements through newspapers and news agencies.” He said a few people are trying to defame the Kashmir struggle by issuing fictitious statements…

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US expresses concern over violence in Kashmir, Protests in Tokyo, Japan, Pondicherry against Kashmir killings

The US has expressed concern over the violence in Kashmir and called on “all sides” to make efforts to find a peaceful solution to the issue as it wants to see the tensions de-escalated. “We encourage all sides to make efforts to find a peaceful solution to this,” state department spokesman John Kirby told reporters when asked about the ongoing violence in Kashmir. “We have obviously seen reports of the clashes between protesters and Indian forces in Kashmir. And we’re, of course, concerned by the violence, as you might expect…

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Curfew continues in Valley for 22nd consecutive day

Security forces have blocked all the roads as the resistance camp extended their shutdown call till July 31. Curfew and restrictions continued for the 22nd consecutive day across the Kashmir valley on Saturday following protests over the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Muzaffar Wani. Security forces have blocked all the roads as the resistance camp extended their shutdown call till July 31. The security forces blocked all the main roads for maintaining law and order across the valley. The Supreme Court on Friday declined to entertain a plea seeking…

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Geelani condemns attacks on Tourists, Amarnath Pilgrims

Senior separatist leader Syed Ali Geelani on Friday condemned attacks on Amarnath Yatra pilgrims and tourists in the Valley and appealed people to beware of “those are out to defame the genuine struggle of Kashmiris”. In a statement issued here, the Geelani-headed Hurriyat group and Tehreek-e-Hurriyat said Geelani has distanced himself and his party from elements who reportedly indulge in creating confusion among the masses. These miscreants move on motor bikes and scooters distributing pamphlets among the people inviting them against Amarnath Yatris and the tourists, the statement said. “Some…

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#StrictCurfew to continue in Pulwama & Kulgam, Restrictions in other parts of Valley, Army blocks road in Kupwara (Kuligam)

Day 22 – Authorities on Saturday imposed curfew in two south Kashmir districts and restrictions in many other areas of the Valley. “Curfew shall continue today (Saturday) in Pulwama and Kulgam districts. Restrictions under section 144 of the CrPC (Code of Criminal Procedure) will continue in other places,” a senior police official told IANS. “Police and CRPF (Central Reserve Police Force) personnel were deployed in different areas,” the official added. A massive protest march is heading towards Police post Kuligam in Lolab, Kupwara district against the closure of Kupwara –…

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Net-savvy hit the streets in hunt for Wi-Fi

People seen with smartphones hooked to Wi-Fi hotspots in alleys Apart from the protesters, a new breed of people busy with cellphones in their hands can be seen on street corners, alley’s or shopping malls of the curfew-bound Srinagar city. With mobile Internet services remaining banned in the region for the past 21 days following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani on July 8, these people with smartphones look for the Wi-Fi hotspots to hook onto Internet and social networking sites. It is because of the snapping of…

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Admin promise free movement of Ambulances & Staff, CRPF men thrash SKIMS staffer

In the wake of attacks on ambulances, police on Friday said free movement of ambulances would be facilitated to help hassle-free transportation of injured, sick and hospital staff during curfew and curbs on public movement. SSP Srinagar, Amit Kumar on Friday said that incidences of disruption of ambulance movements will not be tolerated and strict action will be taken against anybody involved in such activities. Speaking to Greater Kashmir, Kumar said “Free movement of ambulances would be taken up seriously. It is very important issue.” In the past three weeks,…

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