Year: 2016

Valley tense after two civilians including girl killed in security forces firing

Editor

Tension has gripped Kashmir after two persons including a 22-year-girl were killed and a dozen others injured when security forces allegedly opened fire on protesters in Pulwama district in South Kashmir on Sunday following an encounter in which a local militant was killed. The separatists have called for Kashmir bandh on Monday while Mehbooba Mufti, who is tipped to take over as Chief Minister of the State, has asked security forces to maintain restraint while dealing with civilians. The residents of Lelhara village in Kakapora, Pulwama, mostly youth,  took to…

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Both factions of Hurriyat Conference condemn police action in JNU

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Both factions of Hurriyat Conference on Friday condemned the arrest of JNU students’ union president Kanhaiya Kumar in connection with an event on the campus against hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru, saying the action is “undemocratic”. “The police action on the (JNU) students was undemocratic,” moderate Hurriyat chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq said in a statement here. Terming the police reaction “uncalled-for”, Mirwaiz, who is in Delhi, claimed the organisers were in no way involved in any “illegal activity”. Kanhaiya was arrested this afternoon after police had picked him…

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Why top private schools shy away from responsibilities?

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HC to hear PIL on schools not providing 25% reservation to under-privileged students  High Court has accepted to hear a petition seeking directions to valleys top private institutes to have 25 per cent reservation for students of underprivileged class of society. The petition filed by chairman International Forum for Human Rights Justice Ahsan Untoo said the government has leased out land to these private schools at meager price and in return these schools are bound to serve the poorest of the poor and reserve 25 percent of its seats for…

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JNU : SAR Geelani booked for sedition, Eight students barred from academic activities

Editor

Former Delhi University lecturer SAR Geelani has been booked for sedition in connection with an event at Press Club of India here, in which a group shouted slogans hailing Afzal Guru, who was hanged on February 9, 2013 in Delhi’s Tihar jail. “An FIR has been registered against Geelani and other unnamed persons under Sections 124A (sedition), 120B (criminal conspiracy) and 149 (unlawful assembly) of IPC in connection with the event at the Press Club in which anti-India sloganeering took place,” DCP (New Delhi) Jatin Narwal said today. The action…

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Protests rock Sunjwan, Bathindi against demolition drive

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Protests erupted in Sunjwan and Bathindi areas here Friday after an under-construction house was demolished by administration with the affected family alleging harassment at the hands of authorities. According to reports, during an anti-encroachment drive Friday afternoon, a team led by SDM South and DFO South, demolished the house of Ishtiaq Ahmad for ‘being constructed on the forest land.’ The head of the aggrieved family said the administration targeted his house among a cluster of over 50 buildings in the colony for unknown reasons. Following the demolition, hundreds of locals…

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Jhelum embankment stretch crumbles at Shivpora

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A large stretch of embankment of river Jhelum at Shivpora here crumbled due to rains last night. Shivpora was one of the worst affected areas during devastating floods in September 2014. Authorities had plugged breaches, however due to rains, a vast stretch of embankment has caved in. The locals mince no words to accuse the Irrigation and Flood Control (I&FC) department of failing to strengthen the damaged embankment. “The authorities are focusing on dredging and have failed to permanently repair the embankments,” said a group of locals pointing towards cracks…

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On State Govt’s ‘offer’, NHPC to take over JK’s Sewa power project

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The National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) is preparing to take over the State owned 9 MW Sewa-III hydropower project in Jammu following an “offer” made by the previous Peoples Democratic Party-Bhartiya Janta Party government last month. The revelation has come to fore at a time when the PDP has set return of power projects from the Corporation to J&K as one of the conditions for re-stitching alliance with the BJP that heads the Union Government. The proposal to allow NHPC to “run” Sewa project in Kathua district, which is presently…

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PDP may clear air after mourning period ends

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Political activities will step up in J&K and there may be more clarity on government formation after Monday’s congregation at the graveyard of former Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed at Dara Shikoh Mughal Garden in south Kashmir. The Peoples Democratic Party is holding a “religious gathering” on February 15, the 40th day of mourning for Mufti Sayeed. The mourning among Kashmiri Muslims ends on the 40th day. PDP leaders, including former minister and legislators, workers and members of the Mufti family will offer “fatiha” (prayers) along with party president Mehbooba…

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Maqbool, Afzal, and Kashmir

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Kashmir observed two shutdowns in a week to remember late Muhammad Afzal Guru, and late Muhammad Maqbool Bhat. Afzal was hanged in New Delhi’s Tihar Jail on February 9, 2013 while Maqbool Bhat was hanged in the same jail on Feb 11, 1984. Both of them were laid to rest at Tihar jail and their mortal remains were not returned. Death anniversaries of Maqbool Bhat and Afzal Guru every year remind Kashmiris of their struggle, and Delhi not returning even the bodies of two Kashmiris who were sent to gallows.…

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J&K Ice Hockey Association to hold first-ever state championship

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The Kargil based J&K Ice Hockey Association is organizing the first ever state Ice Hockey championship at Ice Skating Rink in Drass from 14thto 18th of February. As many as 10 teams from all provinces of the state including Kashmir, Jammu, Drass, Kargil, and Leh are  expected to take part in this prestigious championship. The teams from ITBP, Ladakh Winter Sports Club, SECMOL, Ladakh Scouts and Himalayan Winter Sports Club Drass are also taking part. The championship will be played on league cum know out pattern. Meanwhile, the training camps…

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