Category: Community

PhD scholar Mannan Wani writes open letter, justifies move to join militancy

Editor

Mannan Wani, a PhD scholar who went missing in January and later surfaced on social media after joining the ranks of militants, has written about why he chose to join the separatist movement in Kashmir. The 26-year-old research student of Applied Geology at Aligarh Muslim University had gone missing in January only to appear on social media holding a grenade launcher. In a letter mailed to CNS, a local news agency, Monday, Wani described himself as a former PhD scholar from the AMU and currently a member of Hizbul Mujahideen.…

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J&K Govt likely to withdraw extra security of politicians, party workers say they are vulnerable to attacks

Editor

The Jammu and Kashmir government led by Governor Narendra Nath Vohra is likely to withdraw “extra security” of all the political leaders, including the ministers in the previous BJP-PDP coalition government. The downgrading of security comes for the first time after the BJP pulled out of the coalition government, leading to the eighth governor’s rule of state. The moves comes amidst political turmoil in the state, with more PDP leaders joining a disgruntled group of MLAs who have raised their voices against the leadership of party president Mehbooba Mufti for…

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Lt. Gen Syed Ata Hasnain appointed Chancellor of Central University of Kashmir

Editor

Lt Gen Syed Ata Hasnain (retd) has been appointed Chancellor of the Central University of Kashmir (CUK) for a five-year term. The appointment was cleared by President Ram Nath Kovind. He will replace founding Chancellor Sri kumar Banerjee. “The President of India in his capacity as a Visitor of central university of Kashmir has been pleased to appoint Lt Gen Syed Ata Hasnain, former Military Secretary of the Army, as the Chancellor of CUKfor the tenure of five years as per statute 1 of the Central Universities Act of 2009,”…

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UK, Ireland style open border best solution for Kashmir: Farooq Abdullah

Editor

‘India, Pak must realise Kashmir has no military solution’ Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah has proposed an Ireland-style solution of an open border between the UK-governed Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic’s adjacent territory as the best option to resolve the Kashmir issue. The National Conference (NC) president, who is here on a visit, said India and Pakistan must realise that there is no military solution to the problem. “Like Ireland, the only roadmap forward is two Kashmirs with an easy border and autonomy,” he said, during…

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Solar eclipse on July 13, longest lunar eclipse in century and date with Mars later this month

Editor

People are in for a triple celestial treat this month with a solar eclipse and a lunar eclipse set to happen and Mars expected to come closest to Earth than it has in nearly two decades. July promises to be a treat for stargazers across the world with a line-up of a triple celestial delight – a partial solar eclipse on Friday (July 13), a lunar eclipse on the night of July 27 while Mars will come closest to earth in 15 years on July 31. A solar eclipse takes…

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Killing of civilians continues during clashes with security forces in Kashmir

Editor

A man was killed while 20 others were injured on Tuesday in clashes between stone-pelters and security forces near an encounter site in Shopian district of Jammu and Kashmir where two militants were killed. Tamsheel Ahmad Khan of Vehil in Shopian died after suffering head injuries during the clashes near Kundullan, a police official said. He said 20 other people were injured of which eight were referred to hospitals here for specialised treatment. Some people had assembled near the encounter site and indulged in stone-pelting on security forces, who were…

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Ending ceasefire, coalition break-up linked to 2019 poll: CCG Report

Editor

Concerned Citizens’ Group (CCG), a civil society group led by former union finance minister Yashwant Sinha which recently visited J&K, in its report released on Friday said that the local perception in the Valley was that centre’s decision to not extend the Ramadhan ceasefire followed by withdrawal of BJP’s support to its former ally PDP was “part of a grand strategy of the BJP with an eye on the 2019 general election”. The report expressed concern over the recent developments in the Valley including the assassination of journalist Shujaat Bukhari.…

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Character assassination of Hurriyat leaders plot to prolong detentions: Hurriyat (G)

Editor

Rejecting any possibility of submission or surrender before the “imperialism and military might”, Hurriyat (G) chairman, Syed Ali Geelani Friday termed “the fresh spurt in the character assassination campaign launched by the NIA, against the resistance leadership as a brazen plot to prolong the illegal and unjustified detention of the leadership”. Hailing the “exemplary and praiseworthy” role played by DeM chairperson Syeda Asiya Andrabi and her family, Geelani condemned the “sinister designs” of NIA to lodge “baseless” case against her. “It is the well-thought out ploy to defame leadership on…

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Shujaat Bukhari’s killers identified, one of them is a Pakistani: J&K Police

Editor

Two men from Kashmir and a Pakistani killed senior journalist Shujaat Bukhari in Srinagar on June 14, said Jammu and Kashmir Police on Wednesday. “The case has been solved and all the attackers identified,” said a senior police officer. He identified the Pakistani as Naveed Jutt, who had escaped from the police custody. Bukhari, 48, the editor-in-chief of Rising Kashmir, was attacked by three gunmen on a motorcycle while he was in his car. His two security guards were also killed as multiple bullets were sprayed at them A special…

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High alert ahead of Yatra, Defence minister visits Valley to take stock of security arrangments

Editor

The Nunwan Base Camp here has been converted into a fortress ahead of the commencement of the annual Amarnath Yatra, which will begin on Thursday, as security for this year’s pilgrimage was heightened to thwart any rerun of last year’s militant attack that left eight pilgrims dead and several injured. Police and CRPF and other forces have been deployed in large numbers around the Nunwan Base Camp located at the entry of this buzzing tourist town. The first security checkpoint was established and activated near the Langanbal bridge where police…

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