Amid large-scale protests and clashes, the high-profile Srinagar parliamentary segment that went to polls on Sunday recorded the lowest-ever voter turnout, with the Election Commission of India authorities putting the overall polling percentage at 7.14, considered to be worst in five decades. Regarding the killings by forces, the CEO said “it was not a good day for all of us.” Addressing a news conference here, J&K’s Chief Electoral Officer Shantamanu said nearly 7.14 percent polling was recorded in the segment for which the by-election was necessitated following the resignation of…
Read MoreMonth: April 2017
In Budgam segments, people side with boycott ‘In memory of martyrs’
As the news about two killings in Charar-i-Sharief area spread in area by late afternoon, more people including women and young girls came out to protest. At Aripanthan in Beerwah area of Central Kashmir’s Budgam district, the polling staff sat in one of the corners of a room, anxiously waiting for voters to turn up. The polling time had started at 7 in the morning but by 12 pm none of the total 938 votes had been cast. “The situation is same everywhere in the area. We just want the…
Read MoreRohingyas in Jammu have overstayed their welcome
There can be no justification for these foreigners who entered unauthorisedly into the Indian territory, travelling several hundreds of miles to settle in Jammu, the northern end of the country. It is patently wrong to paint the voices seeking deportation of Rohingyas and Bangladeshis settled in Jammu as an onslaught on any particular community. This is a cry for weeding out the security threat elements from the peace-loving people of Jammu who have lived in peace for decades. Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs and Christians have been living in one another’s neighbourhood…
Read MoreResistance group calls for 2 Day Shutdown, Hails people for boycott; asks NC, PDP to apologize to people
Hailing people for boycotting the bypolls to Lok Sabha parliamentary seat, joint Hurriyat leadership Sunday called for complete shutdown on April 10 and 11 against killing of eight civilians in forces firing on poll day. In a joint statement, Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Mohammad Yasin Malik strongly condemned eight civilian killings in Beerwah, Pakharpora, Budgam and Ganderbal. They termed the killings as “act of state terrorism” and expressed deep sorrow over the killing of unarmed civilians and injuries to hundreds others. They asked people to observe complete…
Read More8 Killed, Hundred’s injured during bypolls in Srinagar, 7% Turnout
5 of injured critical Scores hit by pellets Black day for Democracy DGP says over 100 forces personnel injured Internet blockade, which may continue till Apr 12, helps little to tackle situation 8 youth killed, 150 injured by forces as large-scale protests, clashes mar polling in Srinagar parliamentary constituency Bullet Pips Ballot: 8 killed amid 7% voting ‘Polling booth set ablaze, vehicles attacked, EVMs damaged, some booths closed down’ Srinagar 3.84%, Budgam 8.82%, Ganderbal 14.71% At least eight youth were killed by forces and over 150 injured as large-scale protests…
Read MoreMiscreants attack polling staff, stations during bypoll, Unprecedented security cover for bypoll to Srinagar LS seat tomorrow
A day ahead of polling for by-election to the Srinagar Lok Sabha seat, miscreants stepped up attacks on polling staff and polling stations in Kashmir’s Budgam district, police said today. Some miscreants tried to set ablaze a government school building, designated as a polling station, in Narbal area of Budgam district late last night, DGP S P Vaid said. He said the building was saved by the timely action of police personnel deployed in the area. In a separate incident, a group of youth pelted stones at polling staff, who were…
Read MoreFiring near PDP rally in Achabal, Panic after loud bang at Khanyar
Militants Saturday afternoon fired at CRPF personnel deployed near the venue of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) rally in Achabal. Our correspondent in south Kashmir confirmed that nobody was hurt in the firing. The rally has been called off and police have cordoned off the area to try and nab the attackers. PDP leader Chowdhary Zulfiqar was addressing the rally when the gunshots were heard. Meanwhile, Panic spread in Khanyar area of Srinagar on Saturday afternoon after a loud bang was heard near a designated polling station. The scribes from press enclave…
Read MoreKashmir Valley remains cut off for 5th consecutive day
Kashmir valley remained cut off from the rest of the world for the 5th day today due to closure of the 300-km-long Kashmir highway due to landslides. Hundreds of vehicles, including those carrying passengers and trucks loaded with essentials, are stranded on the highway at several places on other side of Jawahar tunnel. A traffic police official told Kashmir Post: “We allowed some stranded vehicles to move yesterday for a brief period but fresh landslides and shooting stones forced us to suspend traffic again.” Meanwhile, the Ladakh region remained cut…
Read MoreTo wrest Srinagar, Farooq Abdullah toes Soft-Separatist line
At 79, Farooq Abdullah is a familiar face of the contest for the Srinagar parliamentary constituency, which will go to the polls for the second time in four years on Sunday. In the last poll in 2014, the NC president had suffered a rout. This is his chance to make a comeback. The Srinagar parliamentary constituency is formed of the 15 Assembly segments: eight located in Srinagar district, five in Budgam and two in Ganderbal. Srinagar, home to 1.2 million people, is a bustling district and the urban heartland of…
Read MoreFlood threat: Panic-stricken traders shift merchandise to safer places
Shopkeepers of markets such as Jehangir Chowk, Lambert Lane, Goni Khan, Maisuma as precautionary measures have shifted their stocks to upper storeys of the buildings. With flood threat looming large due to high water level in river Jhelum, panic-stricken businessmen and shopkeepers in city-centre areas are shifting their merchandises to safer places. Amid flood threat, shopkeepers in and around Lal Chowk since Thursday evening and Friday have been shifting their merchandise sand stocks to safer places, fearing repetition of devastating 2014-like floods. “There is a panic everywhere due to rising…
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