Category: Community

Kashmir under security lockdown as night patrols, security checks curb movement in Valley

Editor

Security personnel patrolling the roads and checking vehicles is not an unusual sight for Kashmir. But to see them making drivers and passengers alight on Kanidajan road near Yusmarg — Kashmir’s famous tourist resort — on a recent morning came after a long time. Some of the personnel had taken positions along the snow-covered road and under the pine trees, while others stopped vehicles and wrote down their registration numbers, names and contact numbers of owners. The checking on Kanidajan road has been going on since last week, after forces…

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Woman adopted by Salman Khan celebrates his birthday in Kashmir village

Editor

During the shoot of Bajrangi Bhaijaan in Kashmir, Salman Khan swore to help Zaina Begum and her family. Bollywood star Salman Khan has scores of fans but this 75-year-old woman is a different one. Zaina Begum thinks he is as good as her own son. She has been celebrating the star’s birthday religiously for past few years in a remote area far away from the village of Dayroo Aishmuquam in Jammu and Kashmir. This year too on Salman’s 52nd birthday, she and her entire family are celebrating it. But there…

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Three senior separatists released pre Dineshwar Sharma’s latest visit

Editor

Coinciding with Centre’s special representative Dineshwar Sharma’s stay in Kashmir, three senior separatists leaders were released from jails. In an apparent move to soft pedal on separatists for time being, the government also allowed Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front chief Yasin Malik to visit volatile Handwara, while an NIA summon to Syed Ali Geelani’s son was cancelled “without citing any reason”. Muslim League chairman and former Hizbullah commander Mushtaq-ul-Islam, arrested in July this year, was released on Wednesday. Two days ago, Dukhtaran-e-Millat chief Syedah Asiya Andrabi and secretary Sofi Fehmeeda were…

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Social Media gag on government workers slammed across J&K

Editor

Government workers in Indian-administered Kashmir have decried a government ban prohibiting them and their families from expressing political opinions on social networking sites. Under a new order issued on Tuesday, Jammu and Kashmir government employees were barred from engaging in “criminal, dishonest, immoral or disgraceful conduct on social media which may be prejudicial to government”. The region’s half a million staff were also warned against taking part in political discussions or criticising the government’s policies. “Employees should be aware that the law enforcement agencies will observe content and information made…

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Srinagar-Qazigund four lane highway to miss another deadline

Editor

Seven years on, the four-laning of Srinagar-Qazigund stretch of highway is yet to be completed, officials say it is set to miss December deadline too due to incomplete overhead bridges at various junctions. Minister for public works Naeem Akhtar earlier this year had stated the four-laning of Srinagar-Qazigund stretch would be completed by December. However officials state that it would take more than two months to fully make the four laning of Srinagar-Qazigund highway operational. National Highway Authority of India officials say incomplete overhead bridges and land acquisition issues at…

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Burhan Wani features on cover page of Punjab magazine

Editor

A magazine featuring slain militant commander of Hizbul Mujahideen Burhan Wani on its cover was on sale at the ‘Jor Mela’ here following which Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh said the police would look into the matter if there was any anti-national activity. On a visit here, the chief minister was confronted by media about sale of the magazine. If there is any anti-national activity, police will look into it, Singh said. An article on ISIS and a picture of Jagtar Singh Hawara, convicted in former chief minister Beant Singh…

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Separatists cry foul, center ‘Threatening’ us to talk to its envoy

Editor

The fresh summon to NaseemGeelani, the son of Hurriyat chairman Syed Ali Geelani, by the national investigation agency is an “act of vengeance and harassment”, the joint resistance leadership (JRL) said on Sunday, and condemned the move. In a statement, the JRL comprising Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik said: “Summoning Naseem to Delhi again is an intimidation. New Delhi is using the NIA (against the resistance leadership).” The JRL said that the enforcement directorate (ED) has time and again summoned hundreds including both sons of…

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Burhan Factor? Spurt in young Kashmiris joining militancy in 2017

Editor

The spurt in locals joining militancy began after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen terror group’s poster boy Burhan Wani in an encounter in south Kashmir on July 8 last year. The number of young Kashmiris joining militant groups has witnessed a sharp spike and crossed 100 for the first time since such data started being collated in 2010, officials said on Sunday. By the end of November this year, 117 youths had joined militancy as compared to 88 in the whole of 2016.South Kashmir emerged as the main hub that…

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Geelani completes 8 yrs in house detention: Hurriyat (G)

Editor

Hurriyat Conference (G) chairman Syed Ali Geelani Friday completed eight years under house detention, a Hurriyat (G) spokesperson said. He said Geelani has remained confined to home for last eight years due to restrictions imposed by authorities on his movement. “No court has ever issued any formal detention order for Geelani’s detention,” the spokesman said. He said police officials have so far failed to produce any court order or any administrative document in support of this “illegal detention”. “What is the justification in turning his residence into a sub-jail”. Strongly…

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This year Jamia Masjid locked for record 18th Friday

Editor

Even in peak militancy we haven’t seen such restrictions: Mirwaiz The Authorities Friday disallowed congregational prayers at Jamia Masjid in a record 18-th time this year. All gates of Jamia Masjid were locked as forces remained deployed in full riot gear while the main road and other link roads leading to the mosque were blocked with concertina wires. Chief cleric of the mosque and Hurriyat (M) chairman, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, was put under house arrest while worshippers were disallowed to enter the mosque. The Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL) comprising Syed…

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