Category: Union Territory

Srinagar, Nov 26: Three districts in Kashmir have zero “active militants” currently even as two prominent militant organisations, Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed, have gone “headless” after security forces neutralised their operatives and commanders, a senior police officer said on Saturday.

He identified the three “militant-free” districts as Bandipora, Kupwara and Ganderbal.

The Kashmir region, that comprises 13 police districts, has 81 militants at present with 29 being local while 52 are of foreign origin (Pakistanis), Additional Director General of Police (Kashmir zone) Vijay Kumar said.

He was interacting with a group of visiting journalists at the police control room here.

“The security forces have an upper hand now when it comes to containing terrorism and militants in the Valley. We are working to bring the figure of active, foreign and hybrid terrorists to less than 50 in the near future,” the officer said.

We are very hopeful of eradicating militancy from Kashmir in the next two years, he asserted.

Kumar said the LeT and JeM are currently “headless” after the security forces neutralised their ranks in multiple encounters and operations.

Officials said Farooq Nalli, a Hizbul Mujahideen top operative, is the only active commander — since 2015 — and he is on the radar of the forces, including the Jammu and Kashmir Police (JKP) and sister forces like the Army and the Central Reserve Police Force.

Police officials said the “achievement” of the forces in neutralising senior militant operatives can be gauged from the fact that while there were 80 top commanders in Kashmir about two years ago, there are only three now. Apart from Nalli, the two others are inactive.

Kumar added that there were about 15-18 active “hybrid” militants.

According to security agencies, hybrid militants are those who are radicalised online and are given pistols to kill one or two persons, identified or unidentified.

Most of these “hybrid” militants are located in South Kashmir area comprising Pulwama, Shopian, Kulgam and Anantnag districts, officials said.

Police authorities said the militants operating in Kashmir are now operating in a “module”, where they get a specific direction of attacking or killing one person.

“We have busted as many as 119 modules this year,” ADGP Kumar said.

The JKP officials said their main area of concern in Kashmir is militants picking up “soft targets” like labourers coming from other states and Kashmiri Pandits, while they also have “detected” some women over ground workers (OGWs) assisting im some recent terrorist activities.

“We have, however, ensured that those who target labourers and members of the Pandit community are neutralised immediately and also that they are not kept safe as much as possible,” a senior officer said.

Another concern for the police is the recent seizure of some Turkey-made pistols from militants, which they said is an indicator that Pakistan-based handlers are providing weapons of that country to ultras operating in Kashmir.

The officer said there is also a fourth category of ultras in Kashmir whom they categorise as “potential militants.” These are those who are radicalised, have joined or about to join the militant ranks but have not undertaken a militant act.

“In 80 per cent cases in this category, the families of these potential terrorists inform the JKP and security forces about their doubtful activities, and we have been able to bring back 13 of them in 2022, some even after joining the ranks,” another senior officer said.

“We can tell you that denying social sanction to militants, their activities and radicalisation activities will usher peace in Kashmir,” the officer said.

According to latest police data, there were 99 local recruitments in militant ranks in Kashmir this year, an all-time low over the last six years.

Out of these, 64 were killed and 17 arrested, the data said.

The comparative figures are: 136 in 2021, 167 in 2020, 140 in 2019, 201 in 2018, 147 in 2017 and 95 in 2016.

Maximum local militants, according to data, are killed within a month of their joining the militant ranks while some are neutralised in two to three months.

Twenty-nine civilians were killed by militants this year and these included three Kashmiri Pandits and Hindus each, 15 Muslims, apart from six non-local Hindus and two non-local Muslims.

The officials said security situation in the Valley has improved “drastically” as there have been “no bandhs, no major internet shutdowns, no stone pelting incidents and zero killings of civilians” during operations of the security forces post the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019.

A total of 169 militants (127 local terrorists and 42 foreign militants) have been killed in Kashmir this year, the data said.–(PTI)

80 percent of these drugs used by meat industry as growth promoters, antibiotic policy need of an hour: Dr Nisar Ul Hassan

Srinagar, Nov 24: Antimicrobial resistance is one of the biggest threats to global health in the World today, compromising the treatment of infectious diseases and undermining advancements made in medicine, Doctors said on Thursday

A senior doctor of GMC Srinagar told news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), that the most powerful antibiotics, which once saved the lives of millions of people across the world, are ineffective today.

He said that superbugs have the ability to cause severe infections for which there are no cures and antibiotics are also reaching one through the food chain.

Nearly 80 percent of these drugs are used by the meat industry, fed to cattle, chicken and other livestock to help them grow well used as growth promoters and the drug enters the human system through meat, milk, water and soil.

Think twice and seek advice before using antibiotics as misuse of antibiotics put us all at risk, he said

He said that unnecessary and extensive use of antibiotics have promoted the emergence and proliferation of resistant bacteria and other pathogens, along with rising AMR, which in turn has resulted in inadequate treatment of common infections and such consequences necessitate the exploration of a variety of ways to combat this expanding issue of resistance.

He said that antibiotics were given in 70% of covid-related hospital cases and 100% of ICU admissions (patients with pneumonia), however, a small percentage of COVID-19 patients were requiring administration of antibiotics to cure secondary infections, he said.

The over usage of antibiotics is a direct threat to patient’s health due to risk of adverse effects as well as increased emergence of AMR and multidrug-resistant microorganisms, he added.

As per a report published in Lancet in January 2022, bacterial AMR caused 4.95 million deaths globally by 2019 and without any effective action plan is predicted to cause 10 million deaths annually by 2050.

Dr Nisar Ul Hassan, a senior medico at GMC, Srinagar and DAK president told KNO that there is a desperate need of an antibiotic policy so as to do away with this irrational and inappropriate use of antibiotics.

Antibiotic policy will help in rationalization of antibiotic use in hospitals and even outside hospitals and will help in standard treatment protocol, he said.

There is need different policy at different places and national policy won’t help here as we have our own epidemiological microbiology that is own pathogen prevalence which will be different for different regions and policy must be based on antibiogram of the region, he said

The irrational and inappropriate treatment of patients is the main reason for evolution of these drug resistant microbes and hospitals are flooded with these deadly microbes.

By giving inappropriate antibiotics, we end up in developing drug resistant microbes, he said

He said that though development of resistance is a natural phenomenon, its amplification and spread through certain faulty practices is concerning.

He said that it is exacerbated to most extent by the underlying factors like misuse of antimicrobial medicines – their overdosing/overprescribing/under-dosing and being prescribed for inappropriate indications; insufficient access to quality antibiotics; lack of a comprehensive and coordinated response; weak or absent antimicrobial resistance surveillance and monitoring systems; poor infection control practices; and unhealthy self-medication behaviour among people.

“Inappropriate use of antibiotics is responsible for alarming levels of antibiotic resistance in Kashmir valley, ” he said, adding more than two-thirds of antibiotics are unnecessarily prescribed for infections caused by viruses or conditions that are not linked to infection at all.

Dr Nisar said that with no regulations, chemists give antibiotics to everyone and even in hospitals patients are given antibiotics without appropriate testing to match their bacterial infection.

“Inappropriate and irrational use of antibiotics has turned Kashmir hospitals into breeding grounds for deadly bacteria that are resistant to all antibiotics,” he said adding more than 80% of the bacteria are resistant even to last resort antibiotics—(KNO)

Srinagar, Nov 24 : The School Education Department Kashmir has proposed winter vacations in a phased manner from the first week of December for winter zone of Kashmir division.

Official sources informed the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that DSEK has forwarded a proposal to government for approval in this regard.

He said DSEK has proposed that it will announce winter vacation for Primary Classes from 1st week of December and for Middle Classes from December 05.

The official added that likewise for Higher Classes, it has proposed to announce vacations from December 10—(KNO)

In Kerala, 10-year-old Hindu girl wins first prize for Quran recitation

White paper on Waqf encroachments to be made public in April next year

Srinagar, Nov 23: Waqf Board Chairperson, Darakshan Andrabi on Wednesday said the white paper about encroachments of Waqf property will be made public in April next year.

Talking to (KNO), Andrabi said files are being prepared to trap big and the white paper will be made public when Waqf day will be observed in April next year.

She said Waqf day will be observed on the day when board was re-constituted last year.

Andrabi further said six months have elapsed since the new Waqf Board assumed charge and one year will be completed in April. “We are just removing the dust from files so far and have taken some steps that will be completed one by one.”

She added concrete steps for Waqf will be taken shortly and big fish involved in encroachments will be trapped—(KNO)

Srinagar, November 23: A 23 Year-old Cricketer died on spot after he was hit by cricket ball while playing in Narbal area of Central Kashmir’s Budgam district on Wednesday.

A senior police officer told GNS that around 2:30 pm one person namely Firdous Ahmad Dar resident of Syed pora Narbal while playing cricket was hit by a cricket ball on his chest, this resulted his onspot death.

Meanwhile a case has been registered in this regard and investigation has been taken up, the officer added. (GNS)

Kathua, Nov 22: A man killed his younger brother and his wife over ‘land dispute’ in village Marheen, here today.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Kathua Ramesh Kotwal told Kashmir News Apex-(KNA) said a man identified as Raj Kumar, son of late Bhagat Ram of Chak Wazir Labzoo, Marheen murdered his younger brother namely Naresh Kumar, 32 and his wife Asha, 24 at their residence in tehsil Marheen.

After receiving the information, a team headed by SDPO Border Pankaj Soodan alongwith SHO Rajbagh and Incharge Police Post Marheen rushed to the spot and found double murder by the accused, SSP said, adding that a case FIR Number 232/2022 under section 302 IPC was registered at Police Station Rajbagh and hunt was launched to nab the murderer, who managed to escape from the spot.

The FSL team collected the samples and all legal formalities are completed, SSP said, adding, the accused has been arrested and the weapon of offence (sharp weapons) has also been seized. Land disputed is stated to b the cause of brutal crime, SSP Ramesh Kotwal said.

Bodies have been taken into custody and shifted for post-mortem at GMC Kathua

Further investigation into the case is going on. he added (KNA)

524 left follow up; 1262 patients have died so far; being a tourist destination, J&K at greater risk of HIVAIDS, say Officials

Srinagar, Nov 21: The cases of HIV AIDS are increasing with each passing year as 5,896 patients have been tested HIV positive in J-K so far.

Officials told news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that so far 1,362 HIV positive patients have died while 3,313 patients are alive on Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART) while 524 patients have left follow-up.

They said that because of social stigma, people aren’t coming forward for the HIV tests and over the years the number of patients infected by HIV has shown a rising trend.

According to the Jammu and Kashmir Aids Control Society (JKACS) data, a copy of which is in possession with KNO till October 2022, total number of PLHIV registered with HIV care has reached to 5,896 and among them 1,332 have died, 524 have left follow up and 3313 are alive on ART.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is a chronic, potentially life-threatening condition caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). By damaging your immune system, HIV interferes with your body’s ability to fight infection and disease.

HIV is a sexually transmitted infection (STI). It can also be spread by contact with infected blood or from mother to child during pregnancy, childbirth or breast-feeding, multi person usage of needles. Without medication, it may take years before HIV weakens your immune system to the point that you have AIDS.

Officials said that a person suffering from AIDS is unfortunately often regarded as a stigma in the society and such people often become victims of ostracism, rejection and discrimination.

They said that J-K is at a greater risk of HIV AIDS because of being a tourist destination as tourists across the world visit J-K.

They added that most of the patients who have been tested positive for HIV AIDS in J-K have contracted the disease from outside J-K.

“Drug addicts are at higher risk of contracting HIV/AIDS and if they are married or are sexually active, they transmit this to their partners as well,” they said.

Notably the first HIV positive case in Kashmir was detected in 1986, a Kashmiri businessman who had gone to Germany and possibly contracted the infection—(KNO)

Jammu: National Conference President Dr Farooq Abdullah on Sunday addressed a party convention in Samba where he said the ruling dispensation misled the people across the country that the abrogation of Articles 370, 35-A will bring radicalism in J&K to a close. “Has it happened? The situation on ground narrates a different story contrary to what was being claimed. There is no visible sign of things getting better in J&K. Targeted killings of non-locals, Kashmiri Pandits, local Muslims, Cops have brought back the horror of the 90’s. Mass migration of Pandits, who had stayed back in Kashmir over the past thirty years is another reality of the post abrogation chapter unfolded by ruling BJP in Kashmir. Today Kashmir is marked by uncertainty. Families of those killed in targeted killings in Kashmir are demanding answers from the government but there is little explanation from the powers that be,” he said.
He added, “Why has unemployment soared in Jammu and Kashmir? Didn’t BJP promise 50,000 jobs for our youth when they were banging the drum for articles 370, 35-A abrogation. Where are those jobs? Why are our educated, skilled and talented youth on the roads?”
“Unending job search has taken a toll on the mental health of our promising youth in Jammu, Pir Panjal and Chenab. Now, since outsiders are eligible for jobs here, the employment prospects of our sons and daughters have dwindled further. Even the local sand and mining contracts are going to outsiders. The plight of local marginal wholesalers and traders is no different. Many employees have been dropped out of the workforce in Central power, tunnel building projects. Our local businesses in Jammu are on the verge of closing down, our traders are facing penury. Our youth see no light at the end of the tunnel,” he said.
He said that the people of Jammu will never allow BJP to destroy the region’s secular fabric. “All the promises of BJP have been drawn blank. Now they will resort to polarising the people. However people across JK have made it a point not to fall into their trap. They won’t be able to divide our hearts, it is the people of Jammu, who will destroy them through the use of ballot,” he added.

Two kids were charred to death in a midnight blaze in Divar Lolab #Kupwara