Month: February 2018

PDP, BJP engage in war of words over Rohingya settlement

Editor

The war of words over the settlement of Rohingya in Jammu has intensified between the BJP and the PDP as the saffron party today hit back at its coalition partner for ‘supporting’ the illegal settlement of foreigners in sensitive locations on the outskirts of Jammu city. While the face-off between the coalition partners has already started on the issue, the Panthers Party today shifted the blame on the Congress and the BJP for settling Rohingya in Jammu for politics. The campaign against the settlement of Rohingya gained momentum after the…

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J&K Bank’s top brass goes into huddle as bad loans increase

Editor

Since the Rs 11,400-crore scam of Nirav Modi involving Punjab National Bank (PNB) has come to the fore, the J&K Bank management has gone into a huddle to rectify the mistakes which have led to the accumulation of huge non-performing assets (NPAs). According to sources, the gross NPA of J&K Bank at present could be over Rs 6,000 crore while the net NPA is over Rs 2,000 crore. Gross NPA means the overall NPA with the bank, including NPA against which the bank has taken guarantee from companies who have…

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Hindu Ekta Manch slams Mehbooba Mufti for ‘Influencing’ Asifa probe

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The Hindu Ekta Manch (HEM) Thursday rejected the investigation of Crime Branch into the rape and murder case of minor girl Asifa and demanded that Central Bureau of Investigation should hold a probe in the case. The demand was raised here during a press conference addressed by the Manch president Vijay Sharma. “We don’t trust the investigation of Crime Branch of J&K Police. We have apprehensions. The Government should handover the investigation of Asifa’s case to CBI,” said Sharma. Sharma said that “they have lost faith in Crime Branch while…

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First Glass-Roofed AC train to make journeys fun-frolic in Kashmir

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In its endeavor to make train journeys in Kashmir more fun-frolic and comfortable, Northern Railways has decided to run soon the Valley’s first air-conditioned train fitted with a glass-rooftop and bigger windowpanes for sightseeing. The trial run of the train was successfully held on Thursday with Railway Department claiming the newly introduced train will give fillip to the tourism in the region. The trial of the coach was held from Srinagar to Sadura in Anantnag. The railway official said the special AC train will run between Baramulla to Banihal from…

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Protests in Kashmir Valley against ‘Support’ for rape accused

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‘Hindu Ekta Manch giving communal colour to incident’ Civil society groups and separatists held street demonstrations in Srinagar over the Hindu Ekta Manch’s recent march to defend an accused in the rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl in Jammu. “Nothing can be more evil and shameless than supporting the rapists and murderers of a girl child and then threatening the community with dire consequences. The BJP’s support of the Manch, which is threatening the Gujjars in Kathua, reflects its moral bankruptcy,” said JKLF chief Yasin Malik at a protest…

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NIA ‘Defines’ duties of a Journalist after arresting Kashmiri photojournalist Kamran Yousuf

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India’s National Investigation Agency (NIA) — a counter-terrorism law enforcement agency — has outlined what Kashmiri journalists should report on in a court response that was issued after the arrest of 23-year-old Kashmiri photojournalist Kamran Yousuf. Yousuf worked as a freelance photojournalist for many local dailies including Greater Kashmir, the largest circulated daily in the valley, and MunsifTV, an English-language news channel. He was best known for his gutsy approach to covering the intensifying hostility between security forces and civilians in the Kashmir valley. Despite campaigns from journalists and international…

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Afaq Giri, IRS Officer of Ramban district selected for Antarctica expedition from Feb 27

Editor

Hailing from a remote hamlet in Jammu and Kashmir’s Ramban district, 30-year-old Afaq Ahmed Giri, an IRS officer, has been selected as a member of 80 experts for the International Antarctic Expedition beginning February 27. Giri, an officer of the IRS batch 2015, is presently posted at Indore as an assistant commissioner in the Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC). He has been selected as a member of the international group of 80 environmentalists and climate change experts for the International Antarctica Expedition from February 27 to March 12…

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Under Police Cordon, 5 Walnut trees cut down for Police Officer

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Tehsildar of Imam Sahib area says a ‘notorious’ Sub-Inspector supervised the illegal felling Shopian: Because the Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) needed the wood for his house, five huge walnut trees were cut down in Woyen village of Shopian on Monday evening, even as policemen formed a cordon so that nobody could go near the spot. The owners of the trees themselves cut them down, though the felling of walnut trees, especially green walnut trees, has been banned by the state government for several years now. The Tehsildar of the…

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Pak troops violate ceasefire in Uri sector, Pak copter flies close to Poonch LoC

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The Pakistan Army on Thursday restored to unprovoked and indiscriminate firing in Jammu and Kashmir’s Charunda Uri sector. As of now, no casualties or loss of property have been reported. Meanwhile, gunshots were heard in Kashmir’s Bandipora district. Search and cordon operation by security forces is under way. A Pakistan army helicopter came within 300 metres of the Line of Control (LoC) in Gulpur area of Poonch sector this morning. Under the norms, an aircraft cannot fly within 1 km of the LoC on either side. According to the Indian Army, the…

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4G Speed in India slowest in world

Editor

India may be going digital, but high-speed internet on mobile phones still remains a challenge, even on 4G. Despite telecom companies announcing massive rollout of 4G services, the average network speed in India remains the slowest across countries+ having substantial telecom networks, lagging even Pakistan, Algeria, Kazakhstan and Tunisia. According to a list prepared by mobile analytics company OpenSignal, 4G download speed in India is the slowest across 88 countries spanning six continents. This is despite the fact that 4G has been expanding at a rapid pace across the country,…

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