Valley remains Shut for 103rd consecutive day; Journalist beaten to pulps in Srinagar

Separatists called protest shutdown paralysed life for 103rd consecutive day in Kashmir Valley, however, authorities on Wednesday did not impose any curfew or restrictions anywhere. “No curfew or restrictions have been imposed anywhere today (Wednesday),” a senior police official said here. “Adequate deployment of forces have been made to maintain law and order across the valley.” Main markets, public transport and other businesses remain closed in the valley for 103rd consecutive day. The unprecedented 103-day-long closure of educational institutions has hit hard the students who have not been able to…

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IIT Roorkee preparing plan for Dal Lake preservation

The government today informed the Jammu and Kashmir High Court that the vision document for the preservation of the Dal Lake was being prepared by the IIT-Roorkee and would be received by the J&K Lakes and Waterways Development Authority (LAWDA) soon. In its status report, LAWDA has given details of 14 persons whose illegal constructions have been demolished by it. “LAWDA to file report of further action taken in accordance with law against these violators,” the High Court said in its directions today. Meanwhile, the High Court today asked the…

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44 held in Baramulla for terror-related activities; LeT issued warning to SHO

Pakistan-based terror group Laskar-e-Taiba has issued a warning to the Baramulla SHO for facilitating an operation on Monday in which at least 44 have been arrested for terror-related activities. It was a multi-agency crackdown in the old town of Baramulla in north Kashmir on Monday. After 700-odd houses were searched, security agencies seized petrol bombs, Chinese and Pakistani flags, LeT and Jaish letterheads, illegal mobile phones and other seditious material, defence spokesperson Manish Kumar said. The crackdown was part of a joint operation by the Army, the BSF, the CRPF…

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‘BJP Leaders fight over Rice Plates at Banquet Hall’

Minutes before the BJP office bearers, district and block level leaders pledged “to strengthen their party at gross root and fight like soldiers for their nation India”, they literally squabbled each other to fetch rice plates for the lunch. The leaders including district presidents, block and constituency level functionaries of the party had entered into arguments when they were supposed to stand in a queue to wait for their turns to get a rice plate for lunch. The BJP had organised its first party convention here at Banquet hall since…

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Mughal Road can’t be declared National Highway: Gakdari

PM to inaugurate Chenani-Nashri tunnel after 1-2 months Delhi-Katra expressway to reduce journey from 14 to 6 hours Kashmiri contractors should build Kashmir roads Taking cue from Pakistan, GoI to convert 22 roads into runways Plan to construct 27,000 km roads along Pakistan, China, Bangladesh borders Government of India Tuesday ruled out making the historic Mughal Road an alternate national highway saying the Defence Ministry was not giving its approval due to security reasons. “Security is an issue which has to be cleared by the Defence Ministry,” Union Minister for…

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Police get HC nod to probe case against Ajatshatru

The Jammu and Kashmir High Court today directed the police go ahead and investigate a case registered against sitting BJP Member Legislative Council Ajatshatru Singh, alleged to have carried out illegal construction in the protected greenbelt area around the Dal Lake in the Gupkar area of Srinagar. The High Court also directed the retired Sessions Judge, appointed to probe the complaint against Sports Minister Imran Raza Ansari, to complete his investigation in five weeks. The directions were passed today by a division bench of Justice Muzaffar Hussain Attar and Justice…

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Is there a Government in Kashmir now?

Professor Rattan Lal Hangloo When day in day out the story of contemporary Kashmir is displayed by electronic and print media to the rest of the world, one is bound to ask oneself if there is any state or government functioning in Kashmir region. In mainland India democracy, global networks, world economy and above all digital world is talk of the day yet there is a region so neglected from all these things for past few months. Imagine life without emails and mobile connectivity in the main land India but…

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Burhan Wani’s successor requests Kashmiri Pandits to return, assures safety

Amid the ongoing protests after Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani’s death, his purported successor requested migrant Kashmiri Pandits to return to the Valley and offered them protection. In his second video address after Wani’s killing on July 8, Zakir Rashid Bhat, 22, tried to reason with the Pandits who left Kashmir after militancy erupted in the state in 1989. “We request Kashmiri Pandits to return to their homes. We take the responsibility of their protection,” said Bhat, who was wearing a camouflage uniform with a grenade in his hand and…

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‘If atmosphere not good for polls, how is it conducive for exams?’

While the J&K government is adamant on holding Class 10th and 12th examinations in November, students on Tuesday continued with their protests against the move and sought deferment of the scheduled tests till March next. Scores of students assembled at Srinagar’s Press Enclave and threatened to boycott the examinations if the government didn’t postpone these till March 2017. “We won’t appear in the exams,” the protesting students said, and shouted slogans against the state government. The students slammed the government’s decision to “thrust exams” on them, saying “when atmosphere in…

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Admin intensify ‘Crackdown’ on protesters, seeks list of injured from hospitals, 122 more arrested

Searched over 700 houses in 12 hours, arrested 44 persons, seized Pak and Chinese flags After Baramulla, ‘arrest drives’ launched in Kupwara, Old Srinagar areas Clashes reported from some areas amid Valley-wide hartal 11 members of a family detained in Kupwara village Aerial firing in Pulwama to foil freedom rally Nocturnal raids at Parimpora Army on Baramulla siege Women stage protests A day after a joint party of police, CRPF and army detained at least 44 people in a 12-hour-long search operation in Baramulla district, a similar exercise was held…

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