Category: Kashmir

Kashmir

Proud of my son; Dawood’s mother

Editor

He joined militant ranks after being regularly tortured by police: Friends Mother of the slain Hizbul Mujahideen militant Dawood Sheikh, said she was proud of her martyr son, whose only inspiration to pick up arms was Islam. “I won’t shed any tears because my son has achieved whatever he dreamt of,” Parveena said. Parveena, a widow, said her son was acutely aware of the fact that being the eldest of her children he did not share the responsibility of the family. “A couple of days back he came to meet…

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Six separate funeral prayers held for slain Hizb militant in Qaimoh

Editor

• Thousands including masked militants participate in his Nimaz-e-Jinaza • 7 civilians, many cops injured in day-long clashes At least six separate funeral prayers were held Monday for the Hizbul Mujahideen militant Dawood Sheikh killed in a gunfight with troops yesterday after overwhelming number of people thronged the Qaimoh village of Kulgam to pay their last respects to the slain militant. 21 year old Hizb commander Sheikh Dawood was killed in Buchroo village of Kulgam district during a brief gunfight with forces yesterday. He was a resident of Qaimoh village…

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Herath (Mahashivratri) celebrated with religious fervor

Editor

The Hindu festival of Mahashivratri, locally known as Herath, was on Sunday celebrated across Kashmir with religious fervour. Temples wore a festive look as devotees made a beeline to participate in the special prayers. The festival holds an important place among Kashmiri Pandits who celebrate it to mark the wedding of Shiva and Parvati by cooking traditional Kashmiri food, especially fish. The occurrence of rain or snowfall on this day is considered to be a good omen. “It is one of the most important festivals for Kashmiri Pandits. It is…

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Valley Pandits trying to keep tradition alive

Editor

On the eve of Shivaratri today, the non-migrants Pandits said they were struggling to keep their age-old traditions alive and continued to face neglect from the successive governments. “On Herath (Shivaratri), Kashmir used to bustle with activities (before migration) but now we are struggling to keep our traditions alive. When we offer the nightlong prayers tonight, we will especially pray for the resolution of our demands as we have always been ignored by the Centre and the state,” said Chunni Lal, president, Hindu Welfare Society Kashmir. After the migration of…

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No love for spinning wheel in Kashmir

Editor

‘Pashmina spinning fetches low returns due to exploitation, government apathy’   Kashmiri women who in the past spun Pashmina during their pastime and made good money have lost love for the job owing to low returns. The spinning wheels have now been relegated to the attics. “Three to four days of strenuous work to spin Pashmina fetches just Rs 70,” says 72-year-old Halima from Nawakadal area of downtown in Srinagar. “In the 1980s, 10 gram pashmina (phamb puer) cost Rs 30 but now it costs Rs 150. However, the price…

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Vigilance books municipal official for fake degree

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The State Vigilance Organisation (SVO) has registered a case against an Executive Officer of the Bandipora Municipal Committee for acquiring a “fake” degree. Shakeel Ahmad Shah of Gundpora, Bandipora, presently posted as in charge Executive Officer, Municipal Council, Bandipora and Hajin, reportedly acquired a fake diploma degree to secure an entry in the department of urban local bodies, Kashmir. An SVO spokesperson said verification was conducted by its sleuths after the allegations that the officer possessed a fake diploma certificate of sanitary inspector. “During verification, it was revealed that the…

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Ration card roasted in Bollywood masala goes undetected

Editor

A fictitious consumer has filed popular phrases and songs from Bollywood movies in the details for his ration card for getting subsidised ration under the National Food Security Act (NFSA). “Allah Duhai Hai”, a father of five, is named the head of a family in Baramulla town of the north Kashmir district, which, surprisingly, has four members over 100 years of age. The 120-year-old head of the family is the son of “A Karle Pyaar Ve” and has three children — two daughters and a son, all aged 100 years.…

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Religious fervour missing in Habbakadal

Editor

Once humming with festivities on the occasion of various Hindu festivals, the Habbakadal area of the old city on the banks of the Jhelum sans religious fervour ahead of Herath (Shivratri), that is scheduled to be celebrated on Sunday. Thanks to the migration of a majority of Pandits from the Valley with the eruption of militancy in early 1990, the festivities have lost that grandeur and ceased to continue at the same pace. At present, there are only 2,764 Pandits in 630 families living at 192 places across the Valley.…

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Documentary depicting plight of Kashmiri children released

Editor

APHC Chief Mirwaiz Umar Farooq released a documentary titled “Children in Conflict-Torn Kashmir” in Srinagar to highlight the plight of children affected by the Kashmir dispute. The film depicts the plight of children and highlights the behaviour of Indian Army, police and paramilitary personnel in the Indian Held Kashmir (IHK), KMS reported. The 20-minute documentary shows both physical and psychological trauma suffered by children in occupied Kashmir. The documentary is full of emotional scenes and shows a mother, whose two children have died due to the explosion of littered shells…

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Kashmir youth openly profiled, hounded outside JK: Omar Abdullah

Editor

Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and National Conference Working President Omar Abdullah on Thursday said that Kashmiri youths were apprehensive of moving out of the state following the crackdown on the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU). Addressing a youth convention at the party headquarters in Srinagar, Abdullah said the “victimization of Kashmiri youth outside the State was alarming as they were being openly profiled and hounded.” “During our tenure in the Government, we tried our best to open avenues of employment for our youth outside the State through landmark schemes.…

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