Kashmir Archives | Page 167 of 230

As soldiers fought terrorists, mosques nearby hailed mujahid

February 23, 2016 Editor

A large swathe around the Pampore encounter site resounded with praise for ‘mujahid’ (holy warriors) from loudspeakers as Indian security forces fought terrorists holed up in a building for three days. Mosques in localities like Frestabal, Drangbal, Kadlabal and Sempora played recordings throughout Monday eulogising the terrorists. Slogans like ‘ Jaago, jaago subah hui’ besides pro-Pakistan ( Jivey, jivey Pakistan!) and pro-Azadi (‘ Hum kya chahatey: azadi’) blared from the mosques’ loudspeakers. Hundreds of youth assembled across the rivulet at the site of the encounter in the Entrepreneurship Development Institute…

Protests, clashes rock Pampore

February 23, 2016 Editor

Massive protests kept Pampore town and its adjacent localities on the boil on Monday while the encounter at Entrepreneurship Development Institute (EDI) in Sempora area was underway. At least half a dozen people were reportedly injured during the day-long clashes. Although the youth in adjoining areas had started protesting since late Saturday evening when the gunfight started, clashes spread and intensified on Monday as people in large numbers engaged police and paramilitary CRPF personnel in pitched battles. Some of the protesters repeatedly tried to march towards EDI complex where the…

Army caught between enemy bullets and ‘friendly’ brickbats

February 23, 2016 Editor

Bullets whizzed from the front while stones and invectives flew from behind when soldiers battled 50 hours to flush out terrorists from the 15-acre campus of a government training institute in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pampore. Tales of secessionist rebels regaining public support in Kashmir found credibility on Sunday and Monday as hundreds of residents in the saffron-rich Pampore region came out on the streets to defend the rebels. People chanted slogans for Kashmir’s azadi or freedom and threw stones and brickbats at soldiers fighting terrorists firing from positions inside the…

Syed Ali Shah Geelani calls for shutdown across Kashmir in solidarity with the JNU students

February 23, 2016 Editor

Syed Ali Shah Geelani led Hurriyat Conference has called for a complete shutdown across Kashmir, Chenab Valley and Pir Panjal region on February 27, in solidarity with the students of the Jawaharlal Nehru University. The Hurriyat Conference referred to the crackdown on JNU students, harassment of Kashmiri students and slapping of sedition charges against SAR Geelani as ‘fascism and worst kind of state terrorism’. “India is ruled by Brahmin elite and they are trying to muzzle the voice of every minority and suppress lower caste people,” said Hurriyat Conference general…

India victimizing SAR Gilani for being Kashmiri Muslim

February 22, 2016 Editor

Harassment of Kashmiri students in Delhi condemned All Parties Hurriyet Conference (G), the representative body of twenty-four pro-freedom organizations, has said that Indian authorities are victimizing the Delhi-based Kashmiri intellectual, Professor Syed Abdur Rehman Gilani, just for being a Kashmiri Muslim. The APHC (G) in a statement issued in Srinagar expressed serious concern over the rejection of the bail application of Professor SAR Gilani by a lower court in New Delhi terming it a politically motivated judgment. It said that during the function held at the Press Club of India…

Shehla Rashid, firebrand Kashmiri, leading JNU students’ fightback

February 22, 2016 Editor

She draws big crowds with her eloquent speeches at Left-leaning meetings. And her politically-flavoured messages are shared by thousands on social media. Meet ‘comrade’ Shehla Rashid Shora, a girl from downtown Srinagar, who has emerged as a prominent voice of the ongoing agitation demanding release of Kanhaiya Kumar, the JNU students’ union president facing sedition charges. Twenty-seven-year old Shehla came under the spotlight for the first time on February 14 when a 14-minute video surfaced, showing her giving a speech to a gathering of protesting students. The fierce speech followed…

Key Kashmir town faces neglect for its ‘pro- freedom stance’

February 20, 2016 Editor

Once Chota London , now Sopore stinks Once a jostling and prosperous town, North Kashmir’s Sopore now narrates a sordid tale of “ deliberate” official neglect. From bad roads to shabby infrastructure, the apple- town of Jammu and Kashmir is a classic example of underdevelopment. While other parts of the state have witnessed some growth in terms of infrastructure, this place has faced neglect for its “ pro- freedom stance,” locals say. Sopore was once known as Chota London for its prosperity. But now the town which houses Asia’s second…

Govt defers NFSA implementation in 4 districts after ration card irregularities

February 20, 2016 Editor

People of Srinagar, Baramulla, Leh, Kargil to get ration at old rates The Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution (CAPD) department has deferred the implementation of National Food Safety Act (NFSA) in areas, where large scale irregularities have come to the notice of the government in updation of consumer data. Sources said ration will be provided at old rates in the districts of Srinagar, Baramulla Leh and Kargil due to large scale irregularities in the updation of data. As per the NFSA rates, the BPL families will get rice and atta…

Min temp rises in Valley, isolated rains or snow predicted

February 20, 2016 Editor

After a few days of bright sunshine, dark clouds hovered over Srinagar and other areas in Kashmir today with the Meteorological Department predicting isolated rains or snow even as the night temperature rose at many places owing to the overcast conditions. Srinagar – the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir- recorded a low of 1.5 degrees Celsius up by over two degrees from the previous night’s minus 0.9 degree Celsius, a spokesman of the MeT Department here said. The city had experienced bright sunshine for a few days providing relief…

‘Thank you JNU’ posters surface in Srinagar

February 20, 2016 Editor

Soon after the Friday prayers at the old city Srinagar, a group of youth, shouting pro-freedom slogans, tried to take out a march towards Nowhatta Chowk. For the first time since row over Pro-Azadi protests in Jawaharlal Nehru University erupted, protesters in old city Srinagar carried banners “thank you JNU.” Some of the protesters were also carrying posters of parliament attack convict Mohammad Afzal Guru, who was hanged in Tihar Jail on February 9, 2013, police said. Soon after the Friday prayers at the old city Srinagar, a group of…