Author: hamid

  • Nothing worth life, promotions, accommodations can wait a bit

    KP delegation meets LG Manoj Sinha; demand relocation to Jammu or any other place. Got positive response from LG Admin, Submitted detailed memorandum: Avinash Bhat Spokesman

    Srinagar, May 27: A 25-member Kashmiri Pandit delegation Friday met J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and demanded relocation from Kashmir to Jammu or some other place on fast-track basis stating that nothing was worth a life.

    “Twenty five members from our community met LG Sinha. Top bureaucrats were also present there. They heard us patiently. We submitted our memorandum and told LG Sinha that we have only one main demand which is to relocate us from Kashmir to Jammu or some other place,” Avinash Bhat, Spokesman of KPs, said addressing media persons after meeting LG, as per news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO). He said that they got a positive response from the LG and the officers from the administration who assured them all possible support and help.

    “LG Sinha assured us that we will be provided with a secure environment and safe accommodations and safe places of postings,” said Bhat, who was heading the KP delegation. He said that they told LG Sinha that Jaan Hai tou Jahan hai (nothing was worth life) and sought relocation from Kashmir to Jammu or some other place. We told LG Sir that promotions and accomodations can wait as our main demand was relocation from Kashmir.”

    “We told LG Sir that we don’t want to stay in Kashmir and that we should be posted either in Jammu or some other place. We also urged LG Sir to allow us to reunite with our families back in Jammu,” Avinash said. He said relocation from Kashmir to Jammu was their main demand during the meeting with LG Sinha.

    “To our main demand, LG Sir told us that he along with his team of officers will think over it,” Avinash said, adding that “there was a possibility of more meetings with the LG Sir in the days ahead. Today we were given an appointment at 3 pm.” Bhat said that they will not call-off the protests till their main demand is met.

    He said that KPs also presented the detailed memorandum to LG Sinha. The memorandum was titled as “Save Us.” Pertinent to mention is that KPs, especially those working in Kashmir under Prime Minister’s Rehabilitation Package (PMRP) are up in arms since the past over two weeks after the killing of their colleague Rahul Bhat inside Tehsil office Chadoora, Budgam. The killing evoked widespread condemnation from all quarters including civil society members—(KNO)

  • High Court orders exhumation of body of Amir Magrey killed in Hyderpora encounter

    Directs authorities to act with promptitude, don’t waste any further time; If body cannot be delivered, pay Rs 5 lakh to family of deceased; Family says satisfied with Court decision

    Srinagar, May 27: The Jammu & Kashmir High Court on Friday ordered exhumation of the body of Amir Lateef Magrey, one of the four persons killed in controversial Hyderpora encounter.

    A single bench of Justice Sanjeev Kumar directed the government to make arrangements for exhumation of the body/remains of the deceased Amir Latief Magrey from the Wadder Payeen graveyard of Handwara in presence of his father. “The respondents shall also make appropriate arrangement for transportation of the dead body to the village of the petitioner for according burial in his native graveyard in accordance with the traditions, religious obligations and religious faith which the deceased professed during his life time provided it is in deliverable state,” reads the order, a copy of which is in possession of news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO).

    “Since the dead body of the deceased must be in advance stage of putrefaction, as such, it would be desirable that the respondents act with promptitude and do not waste any further time,” the judge directed.

    The Court, however said, authorities are free to impose any reasonable terms and conditions in respect of exhumation, transportation and burial of the dead body of Amir Latief Magrey.

    The Court said that if the body is highly putrefied and is not in deliverable state or is likely to pose risk to public health and hygiene, his father and his close relatives shall be allowed to perform last rites and the state shall pay to him a compensation of Rs five lakh for deprivation of his right to have the dead body of his son.

    “Since the dead body of the deceased must be in advance stage of putrefaction, as such, it would be desirable that the respondents act with promptitude and do not waste any further time. However, if the body is highly putrefied and is not in deliverable state or is likely to pose risk to public health and hygiene, the petitioner and his close relatives shall be allowed to perform last rites as per their tradition and religious belief in the Wadder Payeen graveyard itself. In that situation, the State shall pay to the petitioner a compensation of Rs. 5 lakhs for deprivation of his right to have the dead body of his son and give him decent burial as per family traditions, religious obligations and faith which the deceased professed when he was alive,” the Court ordered.

    The Court said the decision of the authorities not to allow the petitioner to take away dead body of his son to his native village for last rites was per-se arbitrary and falls foul of Article 14 of the Constitution of India.

    The Court observed that authorities have not come clear as to why the dead bodies of two of the four killed in the encounter, namely, Altaf Ahmad Bhat and Dr. Mudasir Gul were exhumed and handed over to their relatives for their last rites in the graveyards of their choice and why the similar right claimed by the petitioner was denied.

    “The respondents have tried to draw distinction by submitting that as per the investigation conducted by the SIT, the deceased son of the petitioner was a confirmed terrorist whereas the other two killed, namely, Altaf Ahmad Bhat and Dr. Mudasir Gul were only associates of the terrorists. I do not find any logic or sense in distinction so made by the respondents. It transpires that due to public pressure and demand by the relatives of the two deceased namely, Altaf Ahmad Bhat and Dr. Mudasir Gul, the respondents relented and permitted their dead bodies to be exhumed and handed over to their relatives. Since the petitioner was a resident of Gool, a remote village in Jammu Province and did not much say in the Valley and, therefore, his request was arbitrarily turned down. The action of the respondents is not traceable to any procedure established by law which is just, fair and equitable. At least none was brought to the notice of this Court,” the judge said.

    The judge observed that right of the next of kin of the deceased to have their dear one cremated or buried as per the religious obligations and religious belief that the dead person professed during his life time, is part and parcel of right to life guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution of India.

    “The parents and close relations of the deceased are well within their right to demand the dead body of their dear one to be cremated or buried as per their traditions, religious obligations and religious belief. This right would also include the choice of the relatives to have the dead body cremated or buried at his native place. It is not uncommon that the graves of the dead are maintained by their relatives and are visited by their relations and close friends to pay respect and homage on certain occasions,” the court observed.

    Meanwhile, Amir’s father, Muhammad Lateef Magray told KNO that he along with his family are very much satisfied with the decision of the court and hopefully very soon we will bury him here at his native village. He added that no body from government has contacted them so far—(KNO)

  • Hajj Committe of India appoints Er Aijaz Hussain as chairman Sub-Committee Air-Charter

    He will also be Member of  Commitee on Promotions, Finances & Hajj Arrangements, announcement made at HCoI meet in Mumbai

    Srinagar, May 27: Member of Hajj Committe of India (HcoI) Er Aijaz Hussain has been appointed as the Chairman of Sub-Committee Aircharter for HCoI.

    Aircharter Sub-Committee will be responsible for accommodating Hujaj in Charterd flights. Officials said that Er Aijaz has also been appointed as the member of various important committees of HCoI that include Sub-Committee for promotions, Finances and overseeing Hajj-2022 arrangements. This was announced  in the meeting of all members of HCoI held in Mumbai on Friday. The meeting  was chaired by chairman HCoI

    Thanking the Union Minister for Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi for assigning him crucial and important role with regard to ensuring smooth and hassle-free Hajj2022, Er Aijaz said that he will work with dedication and zeal to fulfil all his responsibilities. He said that the first and foremost priority of HCoI was to facilitate Hujaj across India in a friendly manner.

  • Man throws wife into well after being asked to wait for meal

    Srinagar, May 27: In a shocking incident in Madhya Pradesh, a man allegedly beat his wife with a laundry bat and dumped her in a well after telling him to wait until she cooked the food, times now reported.

    The incident occurred in the Hatpipliya region of Dewas. The woman’s body was later recovered from the well.

    Following the police, the accused, Dinesh Mali, who resides in Tilyakhedi, came home after work and learned that food had not been prepared yet. After asking his wife, Yashoda Mali, about food, she asked him to wait for some time as she was busy with another household chore. Dinesh became angry when he heard this and began yelling at her. He then whacked her in the head with a laundry bat, forcing her to pass out. When Nikita, their daughter, tried to intervene, Dinesh struck her with the bat as well. He later dumped his wife in a well and left, police added.

    The matter came to light; when Nikita called her relatives to tell them about the incident, all were shocked. The police were notified, and the body was removed and transferred to a morgue for a postmortem examination. Officials assumed the woman was alive after the assault but drowned in the well; however, the specific cause of death was unknown.

    Hatpipliya police station in charge, Sajjan Singh Mukati, stated that a case under IPC sections 302, 294, 323, and 201 has been registered, and the accused has been arrested

  • Social activist Waqar H Bhatti held for ‘hurting religious sentiments’ through his tweet

    Jammu: Jammu and Kashmir police on Friday arrested social activist Waqar H Bhatti for allegedly hurting religious sentiments with his ‘shivling’ tweet which caused social media outrage.

    Following his tweet, which was later deleted, netizens demanded his immediate arrest.

    “FIR was registered following his tweet, which hurt religious sentiments,” a senior police officer told PTI.

    Bhatti was later arrested, he said.

    Facing a backlash on social media, Bhatti had sought to clarify his tweet with another tweet saying, “I did not target any religion and why should I target when the matter is in court.” A few days ago, Delhi University Associate Professor Ratan Lal was arrested for his alleged objectionable social media post on claims of a ‘Shivling’ at the Gyanvapi mosque in Varanasi. He was granted bail a day later.

    On May 16, a local court in Varanasi directed the district administration to seal a spot in the Gyanvapi Masjid complex after counsels representing the Hindu petitioners claimed that a Shivling was found during a court-mandated videography survey.

    A mosque management committee spokesperson disputed the claim, telling a television channel that the object was part of a “fountain”.

    A day later, the top court directed the district magistrate of Varanasi to ensure the protection of an area inside the Gyanvapi-Shringar Gauri complex where a ‘Shivling’ was said to have been found and allowed Muslims to offer ‘namaz’ and perform “religious observances”.–(PTI)

  • No need to panic over monkeypox virus: Doctors Association Kashmir

    Srinagar, May 27: With monkeypox cases reported in more than 20 countries, Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) on Friday said there is no need to panic over the virus as it does not spread easily between humans.

    “The virus spreads through close skin to skin contact and the risk of spread to the general population is very low,” said DAK President and influenza expert Dr Nisar ul Hassan.

    Dr Hassan said monkeypox is not Covid. The virus doesn’t spread easily through the air because it requires close contact with an infected person. And the virus is unlikely to become a pandemic like Covid-19.

    He said monkeypox is by no means new. The first human case was detected in 1970 and since then most monkeypox cases have been found in central and south Africa where the disease is endemic.

    Cases outside Africa have been linked to travel history or imported animals from the endemic area. However, in the current outbreak there are cases who have no history of travel.

    The DAK President said monkeypox is a mild illness and most cases recover on their own without treatment.

    “The virus is closely related to smallpox. Evidence suggests that the smallpox vaccine can help prevent monkeypox infection and decrease the severity of symptoms. Since smallpox has been officially eradicated, routine smallpox vaccination for general population has been stopped in 1980. Older people who were vaccinated against smallpox decades before will still have some protection against monkeypox,” he said.

    “Symptoms of monkeypox disease begin with fever, headache, muscle aches, swollen lymph nodes and feeling tired. This is followed by a rash that forms blisters and crusts over. The bumpy rash characteristically first appear on the face and spread to other parts of the body including genitals,” said Dr Nisar.

    “The time from exposure to onset of symptoms is usually 7 to 10 days. The duration of symptoms is typically 2 to 4 weeks,” he said.

    “While no suspected case of the disease has been detected in Kashmir so far, the valley being the most favorite international tourist destination, we need to be vigilant especially for those travelling from countries which have reported cases of monkeypox,” he said 

  • Voluntary Sex Work Is Not Illegal, Says Supreme Court

    Police should treat sex workers with dignity, not abuse them, apex court said

    New Delhi- Observing that human decency and dignity extend to sex workers and their children, the Supreme Court has directed police forces in all states and Union territories to treat sex workers with dignity and not to abuse them, verbally or physically.

    Issuing a slew of directions, a bench of Justices L. Nageswara Rao, B.R. Gavai and A.S. Bopanna said the constitutional protection that is given to all individuals in this country shall be kept in mind by the authorities who have a duty under the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956.

    Any sex worker who is a victim of sexual assault should be provided with all facilities available to a survivor of sexual assault, including immediate medical assistance, in accordance with law, it said.

    “It has been noticed that the attitude of the police to sex workers is often brutal and violent. It is as if they are a class whose rights are not recognised. The police and other law enforcement agencies should be sensitised to the rights of sex workers who also enjoy all basic human rights and other rights guaranteed in the Constitution to all citizens. Police should treat all sex workers with dignity and should not abuse them, both verbally and physically, subject them to violence or coerce them into any sexual activity,” the bench said.

    The court also said the Press Council of India should be urged to issue appropriate guidelines for the media to take utmost care not to reveal the identities of sex workers, during arrest, raid and rescue operations, whether as victims or accused and not to publish or telecast any photos that would result in disclosure of such identities.

    “Besides, the newly introduced Section 354C, IPC which makes voyeurism a criminal offence, should be strictly enforced against electronic media, in order to prohibit telecasting photos of sex workers with their clients in the garb of capturing the rescue operation,” it said.

    It also directed the state governments to do a survey of shelter homes so that cases of adult women who are detained against their will can be reviewed and processed for release in a time-bound manner.

    “Measures that sex workers employ for their health and safety (e.g., use of condoms, etc.) must neither be construed as offences nor seen as evidence of commission of an offence.

    “The Central Government and the State Governments, through National Legal Services Authority, State Legal Services Authority and District Legal Services Authority, should carry out workshops for educating the sex workers abut their rights vis-a-vis the legality of sex work, rights and obligations of the police and what is permitted/prohibited under the law. Sex workers can also be informed as to how they can get access to the judicial system to enforce their rights and prevent unnecessary harassment at the hands of traffickers or police,” the bench said.

    The apex court passed the directions on recommendations of a panel formed for the rehabilitation of sex workers.

    The top court was also informed that the Government of India has certain reservations in respect of the recommendation that sex workers are entitled to equal protection of the law and the police must refrain from interfering or taking any criminal action.

    The bench said that every individual in this country has a right to a dignified life under Article 21 of the Constitution.

    “The constitutional protection that is given to all individuals in this country shall be kept in mind by the authorities who have a duty under the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956. The other recommendations that are made by the panel shall be taken up after summer vacation,” the bench said.

    The apex court was hearing a plea that has raised the problems faced by sex workers due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

    The plea has highlighted the destitution faced by sex workers on account of Covid-19 and sought relief measures for over nine lakh women and transgender sex workers across India.

  • Murder case of Amreen Bhat’s solved in 24 hours, involved militants killed in Awantipora encounter, 10 militants killed in last 3 days in Kashmir: IGP Kashmir

    4 newly recruited militants killed in twin Kashmir gunfights

    Srinagar, May 27: Four newly recruited militants affiliated with Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) were killed in two separate encounters in last few hours in Awantipora Pulwama and Soura Srinagar.

    Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kashmir zone, Vijay Kumar said that two newly recruited militants namely Shahid Mushtaq Bhat resident of Hafroo Chadoora Budgam and Farhan Habib resident of Hakripora Pulwama were killed in Awantipora encounter.

    He said that the slain militants are involved in killing of TV artist Amreen Bhat and the attack was carried out on the instructions of LeT commander Lateef.

    “Both killed newly joined local militants identified as Shahid Mushtaq Bhat R/O Hafroo Chadoora #Budgam & Farhan Habib R/O Hakripora #Pulwama. They had #killed TV artist on the instruction of LeT Cmdr Lateef. 01 AK 56 rifle, 4 magazines and a pistol recovered,” Kashmir Police zone tweeted while quoting IGP Kashmir.

    Meanwhile, in seperate encounter, two newly recruited militants from Shopian were killed in an encounter at Soura area of Srinagar.

    A senior police officer told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that two newly recruited militants affiliated with LeT identified as Shakir Ahmad Waza and Afreen Aftab Malik were killed in an encounter in Soura Srinagar on Friday morning.

    “The two killed militants of LeT have been identified as Shakir Ahmed Waza & Afreen Aftab Malik, both residents of Trenz #Shopian & ‘C’ categorised. #Incriminating materials including arms & ammunition recovered. Further details shall follow,” Kashmir Zone Police tweeted.

    IGP Kashmir said that ten militants including three from JeM and seven from LeT have been killed in last three days in Kashmir valley.

    He added that heinous murder case of Amreen Bhat has been solved in 24 hours.

    “10 militants including 3 from JeM & 7 from LeT #terror outfits killed in 3 days in #Kashmir valley. Heinous #murder case of late Ambreen bhat solved in 24 hours.” Kashmir Police zone tweeted while quoting IGP Kashmir—(KNO)

  • Mehbooba, Farooq Abdullah act like Pakistan’s ambassadors: BJP leader

    Jammu: Charging former Jammu and Kashmir chief ministers Mehbooba Mufti and Farooq Abdullah for toeing Pakistan’s line, BJP leader Kavinder Gupta on Thursday alleged that both these leaders act like Islamabad’s ambassadors and always stand against India.
    The former deputy chief minister also condemned the ghastly militancy act in which a TV artist, Amreena Bhat, was brutally killed and her 10-year-old nephew injured in Kashmir on Wednesday.
    Mehbooba and Abdullah never target militants and for such horrendous acts but do not waste even a jiffy in decrying the verdicts of the court against those who have allegedly waged a war against the country, Gupta said.
    “The PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti and NC President Dr Farooq Abdullah are toeing Pakistan’s line. Both these leaders act like Pakistani ambassadors’ and always stand against India,” he told reporters here.
    He said this wrongful attitude is one of the reasons behind turmoil in the Valley.
    “As far as militant acts in valley are concerned, Mehbooba, Farooq and others on the same boat never dare to speak a word against terrorists despite the fact that large number of innocent people are being killed but when it came to Yasin’s (Malik) jail term, everyone in the coterie started shedding crocodile tears,” the BJP leader said.
    “Why so much love for a terrorist?” Gupta asked.
    He said the Modi government is trying to bring prosperity in the valley through various initiatives like inviting film industry, boosting tourism but the enemies of Kashmiris are busy killing minorities, tourists, and even locals, making it difficult to restore peace.
    “This is not enough when it comes to Kashmir because so-called mainstream leaders like Mehbooba are candidly supporting those acting against India and even instigating the people to ensure that unrest remains on ground as she feels this to be in her favour politically,” he alleged, adding the Modi government will not allow such machinations and will tighten noose around each and every element working against the interests of the country.
    BJP chief spokesman Sunil Sethi said Mehbooba’s dual approach vis- -vis Yasin Malik and Ambreen Bhat exposes double standards of Kashmir politics.
    “Now that largely peace has returned and people especially in Valley are happy with return of tourism, it is not being digested by these leaders who had been surviving politically on death and destruction,” he said. PTI

  • ‘Jack’, ‘John’ and ‘Golf’ played key role in Malik’s life imprisonment

    New Delhi: ‘Jack’, ‘John’ and ‘Alpha’ were among the NIA’s protected witnesses who helped nail banned JKLF chief Yasin Malik.
    These names were given to important protected witnesses, with hidden identities for their safety, in the militancy funding case in which the National Investigation Agency (NIA) had seized around 600 electronic devices during its raids at 70 places.
    Malik, who had pleaded guilty for the militancy funding crimes, was sentenced to life by a Delhi court on Wednesday.
    “There were nearly four dozen protected witnesses but code names were given only to selected few, who could be of help in making a watertight case,” officials privy to the developments of the case said.
    The case was probed by a NIA team led by Inspector General Anil Shukla, a 1996-batch IPS officer from AGMUT cadre, with the then Director Sharad Kumar heading the organisation.
    “The verdict is definitely a reward to the hard work of the team that probed the case. I am very much satisfied with the punishment. He (Yasin) played smart by pleading guilty to escape the death sentence. But nevertheless, his sentencing should serve as a deterrent to those even dreaming of waging war against the country,” Kumar said from his home in Gurgaon.
    Shukla, who is now posted in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and is seen as a person who ended stone pelting incidents in Kashmir valley by choking the funds to separatists, had decided to follow the policy of having protected witnesses in the case so that there are no loopholes, the officials said.
    While framing charges against 66-year-old Malik, the special NIA judge had relied on protected witnesses ‘Jack’, ‘John’ and ‘Golf’ among others who mentioned about the meetings between Syed Ali Shah Geelani, now dead, and Malik in November 2016 along with other Hurriyat leaders calling for protests and shutdown.
    Another protected witness had stated that it was Geelani and Malik who used to send him the protest calendar for publicity in newspapers.
    The NIA stressed on confessions statements more as they were recorded before the judicial magistrate where the accused have to confirm that they are giving it without any pressure from the investigating agency.
    While penning down their confession, the whole process was videographed and during the proceedings no investigating officer was present in the court premises. Later, if these accused turned hostile, then the NIA would file a perjury charge against them.
    Countering the much-talked Gandhian path adopted by Malik, the court said at this juncture it has been prima facie found that there existed a criminal conspiracy pursuant to which large-scale protests, resulting in violence and arson at massive scale, were orchestrated.
    “The object, as discussed earlier, was secession of J&K from the union by overawing the government. It has been argued these were intended to be peaceful non violent protests following the Gandhian path. However, the evidence prima facie speaks otherwise. Not only were the protests violent, they were intended to be violent. Even otherwise, prima facie a false claim has been laid to the Gandhian principles,” the court said.
    Citing the Chauri Chaura incident of 1922 when citizens burnt a police station in Gorakhpur killing 22 occupants, the court said Mahatma Gandhi had called off the non-cooperation movement after the incident but the accused, despite large scale violence engulfing the valley, pressed on with these protests.
    “Thus, prima facie they were not following the Gandhian path but their plan was straight from the play book of the likes of Hitler and the march of the brown shirts. The object was to overawe the government by the sheer scale of violence and was nothing less than a plan for insurrection. Thus I find that prima facie there is sufficient evidence that this was also a conspiracy as is punishable u/s 121A IPC,” the court said. PTI