On Sunday night, rumour spread in the sleepy Charari Sharief town of central Kashmir that two ‘braid choppers’ had ‘almost’ gained entry into a house but for the vigilant house-owner who was roused in the nick of time, prompting the alleged perpetrators to flee. Criminals were on the run in the locality, so they were to be taught a lesson. In no time, a large crowd gathered to comb the area for the intruders. But the ‘search operation’ was anti-climactic. “They have probably run away,” one of the men quipped…
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Two cops held for supplying ammunition to Hizb
Two overground workers of militant outfit also arrested Two Jammu and Kashmir constables were arrested today for allegedly supplying ammunition to the Hizbul Mujahideen, busting a “nexus” between the militant group and the police, a top official said. Constables Shabir Ahmad Malik and Nazir Ahmed Najar had allegedly supplied nearly 40 rounds of ammunition for the AK series of rifles to overground workers of the Hizbul Mujahideen militant group in south and central Kashmir, the police said. They were arrested along with two others allegedly affiliated with the group. Director…
Read More‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’ poster features Asiya Andrabi, Govt embarrassed
A picture of jailed separatist and a pro-Pakistan leader Asiya Andrabi has appeared along with Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and some other personalities in a poster on ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’ campaign. A picture of jailed separatist and a pro-Pakistan leader Asiya Andrabi has appeared along with Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and some other personalities in a poster on ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’ campaign. The development has come as a major embarrassment for the state government. The poster, aimed at highlighting the women achievers…
Read MoreDenied ‘Character Certificate’ for govt job, Kashmiri man becomes most wanted militant
In a Valley where an extremist leader’s grandson and a terror chief’s sons were given employment by state, father of two little daughters wasn’t as lucky. It was spring of 2016 in the north Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. After five months in Udhampur jail, Bilal Ahmed Mohanad was a “free man”. The state High Court had just quashed his imprisonment under the Public Safety Act, despite him being sentenced to at least two years in jail. Police had charged him with being an “overground worker” for militants, but…
Read MoreFresh braid-chopping incidents leave People, Police guessing
Fresh braid-chopping incidents were reported in Srinagar, Ganderbal, Bandipora, Sopore and Budgam districts on Tuesday. A group of residents from Karfali Mohalla in Downtown Srinagar said that during the wee hours, a woman alleged that two unknown persons barged into her house and hit her head with a brick and later cut her braid. “The woman also alleged that the attackers snatched a gold chain and Rs 7,000 from her,” the residents said. The victim was taken to a hospital but discharged later. The incident triggered massive protests in the…
Read MoreHigh Court seeks report on FIRs filed against rising Braid-chopping incidents
Asks police to disclose within two days incidents reported Taking cognisance of a public interest litigation alleging harassment of women due to the mysterious braid-chopping incidents, the J&K High Court has sought a status report from the police, explaining the total number of FIRs registered into the braid-cutting incidents and also the number of such reports received across the state. These directions were issued today by a division bench of the High Court headed by Chief Justice Badar Durrez Ahmad in response to a PIL by lawyer Hilal Ahmad Lone,…
Read MoreSpy cams to tackle braid-chopping fears
Due to the fear of braid-chopping incidents, Valley residents have started installing spy cameras around their homes. More than 50 braid-chopping cases have been reported so far with the latest incidents coming from Srinagar city. The police have failed to reach any conclusion about the incidents. If the government fails to take any action, these can create a large-scale fair psychosis in Kashmir. — Rifat Mohidin A paltry reward! The police recently announced Rs 6,00,000 reward for persons giving information/assistance in nabbing of suspects in braid-cutting incidents. The police also…
Read MoreClerics of Majlis-e-Shura issue fatwa banning women from travelling alone
A day after the Darul Uloom Deoband in Uttar Pradesh issued a bizarre fatwa banning women from plucking, trimming and shaping their eyebrows and cutting hair, clerics of Majlis-e-Shura, a religious conglomerate in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district, on Monday issued a diktat barring women from going out alone in public. According to Times Now, the religious conglomerate issued a list of diktats imposing restrictions on women in the state. According to the diktat, women can’t go to markets and public events alone, they must not interact with men on…
Read MoreSMC issues advisory for safe buildings
The Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) has issued an advisory for city residents asking them to ensure safety of buildings by adhering to building bylaws. In the advisory, officials stated that a safe environment could not be achieved without the involvement of people. “The government can only make and promote guidelines but unless people don’t follow rules for safety from natural and man-made hazards, the dream of a safe society cannot be achieved,” the advisory read. Officials said we should not forget the two worst natural disasters in the Valley –…
Read MoreOmar Abdullah, Adhan Sami exchange stinging notes over Valley concert
Former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and singer Adnan Sami had a verbal duel on micro-blogging site Twitter for sharing the pictures of empty chairs at the music concert held last evening on the banks of the Dal Lake. Omar shared a picture of empty chairs at the concert, which was organised by the state government’s tourism department at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre, with a comment “that’s a real pity”. The former Chief Minister’s tweet drew an outburst from the singer who had performed at the concert. “You are a…
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