October 2021 | Page 5 of 7

One JCO, Four Soldiers killed during encounter in Rajouri district: Report

October 11, 2021October 11, 2021 Editor

A Junior Commissioned Officer and four soldiers who were “critically” injured in a gunfight with militants in villages close to Dara Ki Gali in the Surankote area of Poonch district succumbed to injuries on Monday. “In firefight during the ongoing encounter with (militants), one JCO and four Jawans of Indian Army have suffered critical injuries,” Defence ministry PRO-based in Jammu told “Further update follows,” he said. However, sources told that all five of them have succumbed to the injuries. Official confirmation in this regard is still awaited. The encounter, the…

Over 50 Rural Local body members quit in district Ramban

October 11, 2021 Editor

Over 50 sarpanches and panches have resigned en masse in two blocks of Ramban district in Jammu and Kashmir over various issues, officials said on Saturday. They have resigned alleging lack of promised empowerment, unnecessary interference, and their side-lining by the administration during the ongoing public outreach program of the Central ministers, officials said. The Peoples Democratic Party took a pot-shot at the BJP government, saying the “cosmetic normalcy and pomp and show being projected (in the Union Territory) stands punctured.” Officials, however, said the district panchayat officer Ashok Singh…

Thajiwas Glacier melting at rapid pace: Locals

October 11, 2021 Editor

The Thajiwas glacier, which is a major tourist attraction in Kashmir’s Sonmarg, is melting at a rapid pace, locals said. uring the last two decades, the Thajiwas glacier, which is a major tourist attraction in Kashmir’s Sonmarg, is melting at a rapid pace, locals said. Bilal Ahmad, a tourist guide in Sonmarg, told India Today TV that the change in the volume of the Thajiwas glacier is becoming more and more visible in recent times. “Before 20 years, Thajiwas glacier was spread over huge area and tourists were able to…

Won’t Leave Kashmir ‘Neither allow anyone to create rift in Kashmiri Brotherhood’ : United Sikh Forum

October 11, 2021 Editor

The United Sikh Forum (USF) Saturday condemning the killing of two school teachers said that no Sikh would leave Kashmir and appealed to all the communities to get united at the time of crises. Talking with news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) President of United Sikh Forum (USF) Manmeet Singh said that no Sikh is leaving Kashmir as the land belongs to both Kashmiri Sikhs and Muslims. “We have to get united to fight against these elements who are trying to create a gap in between communities,” Singh said Singh said…

Throttling the press in J&K

October 11, 2021 Editor

By: Mohamad Yousuf Tarigami By denying the media freedom, the government is building its own narrative and providing space for fake news A major casualty of the abrogation of Article 370 on August 5, 2019, has been press freedom in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K). This has led to the problem of disinformation and is causing great anxiety in the region. The feeling of alienation in the Kashmir Valley is inimical to the national interest besides the interests of Kashmiris. Historically, the press in J&K used to highlight democratic, anti-feudal and…

The Resistance Front : Faceless killers in the Valley

October 11, 2021 Editor

The shadowy outfit targets both security personnel and civilians in Kashmir The killings of seven civilians in six days, including a well-known chemist, Makhan Lal Pandita, and a school principal, Supinder Kaur, have shaken the Kashmir Valley. A little-known militant outfit called the Resistance Front (TRF) has claimed responsibility for the killings. Security agencies warn that attacks could intensify it in the coming days. The outfit was born nine months after the Union government ended Jammu and Kashmir’s special constitutional status on August 5, 2019. The TRF’s name first surfaced…

What has changed in Kashmir since Aug 5, 2019?

October 11, 2021 Editor

Thirty years ago J&K was under Governor’s rule, there was massive troops deployment, its political leadership was kept locked up and there was no development. Haven’t we reverted to the same disarray? In his speech of 8 August 2019 explaining the move to ‘deoperationalise’ Article 370 (it has not been revoked or removed as is widely assumed), the prime minister said the following: That the development of Jammu, Kashmir, and Ladakh was being held back by Article 370. The problem had now been eliminated and a new era had begun.…

Outspoken IAS Officer Shah Faisal who flirted with ‘Politics of Change’ likely to be appointed Lt Governor’s adviser

October 11, 2021 Editor

Former IAS officer Shah Faesal may become the advisor of J&K Lt Governor Manoj Sinha. The speculation about Faesal being nominated as the advisor gained momentum after Baseer Khan was relieved of the said charge earlier this week. The government, however, is tight-lipped about the former IAS officer’s fresh appointment. Off late, Faesal has been repeatedly praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi and home minister Amit Shah on social media. Last year, 17 months after laying the foundation of a new political party, Faesal had resigned as president of the Jammu…

Recent spate of killings may trigger fresh wave of migration of minority community from Kashmir Valley

October 9, 2021 Editor

At least 10 to 15 families, who had returned to Kashmir by availing the benefits under Rehabilitation Package announced by the Manmohan Singh govt in 2008, have already fled the Valley, say sources The pictures of the lifeless bodies of two teachers lying in the well-manicured lawns of a government school gave the willies to Ajay Koul (34), a Kashmiri Pandit living in central Kashmir’s Budgam district. Ever since the news about the killing of Supinder Kour and her colleague Deepak Chand in the Eidgah area of Srinagar spread, Koul…

Heightened security in Kashmir no reason to open fire at civilians: Omar Abdullah

October 9, 2021October 9, 2021 Editor

Youth of Jammu was killed by CRPF jawans after he failed to stop his vehicle near the checking point at Anantnag Condemning the killing of a youth by the CRPF in Anantnag, former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah said the heightened state of alert cannot be a reason to open fire at a civilian. Yasir Ali, a resident of Jammu, had been killed by CRPF jawans after he failed to stop his vehicle near the checking point at Anantnag on Thursday night. He died on the spot. “Yasir…