Category: Today

Sabzar Sofi, Scholar turned rebel and associate killed in Nowgam gunfight

Editor

A research scholar-turned-militant Sabzar Ahmad Sofi and his associate Asif Shergojri—both belonging to Hizbul Mujahideen—were killed in a gunfight in Nowgam area of Srinagar on Wednesday morning, days after a PhD scholar Manan Wani, who had also picked up arms, died in a gun-battle in northern Kupwara district. At least six police and Central Reserve Police Force personnel were also injured in encounter but were said to be “stable.” According to police, the slain researcher Dr Sabzar Ahmad Sofi—a resident of Nainan area in southern Anantnag district—had joined militancy soon…

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Bloodbath in Kashmir: 7 Civilians, 3 Rebels Killed, 100’s injured in Kulgam Gunfight

Editor

The civilian death toll has reached seven in Kulgam district after another civilian who was injured in a blast at a gunfight site, succumbed to his injuries Sunday late evening. Javid Ahmad Lone, 35, of Hawoora in Kulgam succumbed to injuries late last evening and his body was kept in the mortuary till he was identified by his family. South Kashmir’s Kulgam district witnessed a bloodbath on Sunday leaving seven civilians killed after government forces left the gunfight site killing three militants. The three militants were killed on Sunday morning…

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Poll Boycott Continued: At 4.2%, Kashmir sticks to single digit turnout, Ladakh 62.1, Jammu 68.7

Editor

In the last phase of polling for the civic elections in Kashmir on Tuesday, the voting turnout remained dismal – just 4.2 per cent of the voters exercised their franchise. The day was marked with protests, clashes and long queues of voters in a few parts of Srinagar and Ganderbal even after militants carried out an attack on Monday night, leaving two CRPF men injured in south Kashmir’s Pulwama. Of the eight municipalities, which were scheduled to go to the polls in the fourth and last phase, voting was held…

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Voting begins for IIIrd Phase: Sensitive downtown and Civil lines areas going to poll

Editor

Voting for the third phase of the urban local bodies elections is underway in Jammu and Kashmir. A total of 242 candidates – of which 84 are female candidates – are in the fray for 56 wards of Samba district. Total number of voters are 31818 which include 15,510 female voters will cast their votes at 57 poling booths. There are 19 Hypersensitive, 06 Sensitive and 32 Normal polling booths. Observers and Nodal Officers have been appointed to ensure fair and free election. The time of the polling is 6…

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Boycott Continues: 3% Turnout in Kashmir, 78.6% in Jammu

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Kashmir Valley recorded just three percent voter turnout in the second phase of urban local body elections on Wednesday as parts of summer capital Srinagar and southern Anantnag town witnessed a near-total boycott of the electoral exercise. However the areas that went to polls in Jammu province witnessed brisk polling throughout the day. According to J&K’s chief electoral officer Shaleen Kabra, the overall voter turnout in the second phase was 31.3 percent. “78.6% polling was witnessed in 214 wards of Jammu while Kashmir division witnessed average 3.4% polling in its…

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Boycott Beats Ballot, 8.3% turnout in Kashmir, Jammu 65% and Ladakh 62.1%

Editor

Amid heavy security and looming militant threat, the first phase of polling to 30 urban local bodies in Jammu and Kashmir were conducted peacefully on Monday, even as the Kashmir region recorded an abysmally low voter turnout. While the Jammu and Ladakh region recorded a turnout of 65%, only 8.2% votes were cast in the Kashmir region in the first of the four-phase polls held after 13 years. The overall turnout was 56.7% and, barring one incident, was conducted peacefully, said the state information department in a statement. The regions…

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Ahead of Poll Kashmir Valley turned into garrison, Voters ‘Clueless’ about candidates

Editor

Amid tight security arrangements, the government is all set to conduct first phase of Urban Local Bodies (ULB) polls in Jammu and Kashmir on Monday. Senior Police officials said fool-proof security arrangements had been made for the smooth conduct of civic polls. They said the deployment would be made at polling stations around midnight while contingency plans were also in place in all districts to deal with any abrupt situation. Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), Law and Order and Security, Munir Ahmad Khan told Kashmir Post that no “classification”…

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BJP bags 60 wards unopposed in Civic polls, No candidates in 177 municipal wards

Editor

NC, PDP have boycotted the polls accusing Centre of not defending Article 35A in apex court The Bharatiya Janata Party has made a headway in the urban local body election in the Kashmir Valley by winning 60 municipal wards unopposed, mainly in the volatile south Kashmir, while the Congress has won only 26 wards. Of the 624 wards scheduled to go for the four-phase polls from October 8 to 16, the BJP claimed to have won at least 60 unopposed in the three phases and expects the tally to cross…

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UN Chief Guterres concerned over Kashmir Situation

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UN secretary general Antonio Guterres has voiced concern over the situation in Jammu and Kashmir while encouraging “positive dialogue” to resolve the disagreements peacefully. He also said that the UN welcomes a greater role for India in addressing regional peace and security challenges. “On the development front, India already is, and can become an even greater regional development force, helping other countries of the region forge a better future,” Guterres told PTI in an email interview here ahead of his visit to India beginning Monday. He said the UN welcomed…

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Day began with Abductions, ended with Funeral; Three Cops abducted, shot dead in Shopian

Editor

On Thursday evening, Firdous Ahmad, 28, a police follower from Batagund — a sleepy village in Shopian — had returned home to announce his public resignation during the Friday congregational prayers at Jamia Masjid in the district due to the constant militant threats. But hours before he could do that, he was abducted by militants along with two other policemen from adjacent villages and shot dead. The killings of the two police employees and a special police officer have sent shock waves across the country. Villagers say the toll could…

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