Villagers living near LoC face death and destruction as escalation reaches three-year high

Fozia Bi ran frantically between what would have been a cluster of houses in the Jora Farm village, searching for her lost goat. The sudden escalation at the border last week forced the family to abandon their house and their livestock. The guns are comparably silent as she forces her husband to join the search. The road leading to the village is deserted. Only the clip-clop of horseshoes ringing against the road breaks the eerie silence. Few kilometers ahead, a group of village children are celebrating the Republic Day. One…

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Sunny days with Chilly nights a grave concern ahead

The unusual weather pattern continued in Kashmir with sunny and warmer days while nights are extremely chilly. Cold wave continued with mercury at degrees below the freezing point. Meteorological department continues to predict light rains and snowfall in next 24 hours. Director MeT department, Sonam Lotus said a fresh Western Disturbance is likely to end the dry spell during the next 24 hours in Kashmir. “Light rain or snow would occur at isolated places over Jammu and Kashmir from Monday evening as a fresh WD, originating in Arabian sea has…

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Have no faith in Govt ordered probe, A justice-delaying exercise

Day after the government ordered a magisterial enquiry into the killing of two civilians in army firing at Gawanpora village of Shopian district, the families of the slain civilians today said they “have no faith” in such probe. “When the like probes have yielded nothing in the past, how could they yield any fair result now,” the families of slain civilians asked. Talking to Kashmir Post, Abdul Rashid Bhat father of Javed Ahmed Bhat, said: “It is useless to wait for the government report which is expected to come within…

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Displaced Kashmiri Pandits hail MHA’s advisory board proposal

Displaced Kashmiri Pandits have welcomed the suggestion of the Ministry of Home Affairs to the state government to constitute an advisory board to look into the grievances of the displaced community members. They have sought a comprehensive plan and involvement of community representatives for its success. Living in exile for 28 years, Pandits feel neglected by the successive government. They claim the governments failed to implement any major plan to rehabilitate and resettle 3.5 lakh community members. Setting up of a welfare board to look after the issues of displaced…

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From Pune to Kashmir, ‘Mystery Jihadi’ woman’s unexplained journey

On the eve of Republic Day, a wireless message started circulating on Whatsapp across J&K about the arrival in the Jammu and Kashmir of a woman suicide bomber from Pune. The message said she “may cause suicide bomb (sic.) explosion near or inside the Republic Day venue”. All district police heads were, therefore, “directed to please ensure that frisking of ladies is done meticulously and with utmost caution so as to thwart the nefarious designs of ANEs (anti-national elements)”. On Republic Day itself, the Assistant Director General of Police Muneer…

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Two civilians killed in army firing in Shopian, JRL calls shutdown tomorrow against killings

Two civilians were killed and nine others injured after army opened fire on protesters in Ganowpora village of south Kashmir’s Shopian district on Saturday. Jammu and Kashmir Police has registered a case against the army. Reports said that youth hurled rocks at an army party in Ganowpora village. They said that army responded by opening fire on the protesters, resulting into injuries to eleven people. Sources at District Hospital Pulwama said that four injured were brought to the facility for treatment. “One of injured, identified as Javid Ahmad Bhat (20)…

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Education gets a visibly saffron curriculum in Yogi Adityanath’s Uttar Pradesh

The UP govt has asked universities to set up a chair named after Deen Dayal Upadhyaya. Last year, in a quiz contest in Uttar Pradesh schools, students were asked questions about the state govt’s schemes on Upadhyaya’s birth centenary. Saffron appears to be the colour of choice in BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh’s schools, colleges and universities — be it curriculum or competition for students. Identified as the colour of the BJP and the Sangh Parivar as a whole, a hint of the shade being stirred to paint the party’s ideologies in…

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Clashes in London after Lord Nazir calls for Kashmir’s independence on Republic Day

Clashes erupted outside the Indian High Commission in London on Friday evening as Lord Nazir Ahmed, a pro-Pakistan peer in the House of Lords, organised a “black day” protest demanding the freedom of Kashmir and Khalistan. The protest, which coincided with India’s Republic Day, was aimed at highlighting the “oppression of India”, reported ANI. The protest, which was held outside the Indian High Commission in Central London, turned violent after Ahmed’s supporters were countered by many Indian and British groups. The counter-protesters questioned Lord Nazir on how he was making…

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Group of non-locals trying to hoist tricolor detained in Srinagar

A couple of non-local BJP workers were detained after they emerged in Srinagar city centre with Indian tricolor in the hands of one of them.Witnesses said that five non-locals were spotted by Jammu Kashmir police personnel near erstwhile Fancy Fabrics while one of them was carrying an Indian flag in their hands. Police foiled their attempt to move towards Clock Tower and detained them. During questioning they said they are from UP and are 10 in numbers. Accordingly, police swung into action and detained them all.Sources said that three of…

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Grave of Haidar Dulati 16th century Kazakh Politician, Historian restored in Kashmir

The grave of a 16th century Kazakh-origin military commander, politician and historian, Muhammad Haidar Dulati, who served under Mughal Emperor Humayun, has been restored by the Embassy of Kazakhstan and the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). The site of the restored grave was opened to the general public following a formal ceremony that included offering of prayers by a number of dignitaries, including Kazakhstan’s Ambassador to India Bulat Sarsenbayev, and others. Dulati was an outstanding son of the Kazakh Steppes, a representative of the ancient Kazakh tribe of Dulat, a…

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