Category: Union Territory

Join hands to help poor, downtrodden in society

Srinagar: As the novel coronavirus, the harbinger of panic in the valley Imran’s fervent appeal to people of the valley is to stay at homes.

Imran said that staying at home is the best act of patriotism one can practice at this point when the Covid-19 cases are spiralling every day in Kashmir.”When the timely extension of lockdown was announced by the centre , Imran in his statement said, ‘Stay wherever you are’. If we don’t follow this during the lockdown, it will not be successful exercise, and we will fail in the fight against this virus,”.

In his statement, Imran said that ‘Disturbance and lockdown due to Covid-19 have affected the lives of daily wagers and other poor people. It is our moral and social responsibility to help needy people at the moment by providing them with necessities of life’.

Imran has urged the general public to support the affected families morally and financially. He said ‘It is the time for all of us to show respect, generosity, humanity and to help on a voluntary basis so that it will reach to every needy family.

We should join hands and pool our resources to help the economically unstable section of society’.

He lastly said that ’The only way to defeat coronavirus by the people is to show patience by staying at home and that persistence will wipe off this virus very soon inshallah’.

Srinagar: Relatives of three Kashmir youth who were recently released from Agra Jail borrowed money to get them back to home. A couple of days back, government revoked the detention under Public Safety Act of two Kashmiri youth while court on 16 March also quashed the detention of an auto driver under PSA. All these three Kashmiri youth were released from Agra Jail of Uttar Pradesh; however, they couldn’t make it to home in time owing to their poor background.

Mudasir Ahmed Wani son of Ghulam Ahmed, a resident of Pazalpora Bandipora is an auto driver by profession. Mudasir was arrested after the abrogation of special status in Jammu and Kashmir in August 2019 and subsequently, he was booked under PSA and shifted to Agra Jail.

His Counsel Advocate Bashir Ahmed Tak pleaded his case and got his PSA quashed in the High Court. His wife told KNT that they visited their relatives who pooled money to get Mudasir back to his home from Agra. “We collected Rs 20,000, paid fare to the cab driver and managed to get Mudasir back to home. Now we have to pay this money back to relatives,” she said.

Mudasir reached his home yesterday.

Another youth Javaid Ahmed Parray son of Ghulam Muhammad, a resident of Parray Mohalla, Rafiabad also reached home from Agra Jail. His family narrated the same ordeal saying that they borrowed Rs 27,000 from their relatives and neighbours to bring Javaid back to home from Agra Jail.

“Javaid like others was also arrested in August last year when Government of India read down special status. His detention under PSA was revoked by the government and he was released a fort night ago. We were informed by the jail authorities, but were able to get him back, as we had no money,” said the brother of Javaid Ahmed.

He said Javaid reached home in a Sumo two days back.

Another family from Beehama Ganderbal in Central Kashmir also arranged Rs 20,000 to get their son Bashir Ahmed Rather son of Ghulam Rasool back to home.

“The detention of Bashir Ahmed under PSA was revoked by the government by we had no money to visit Agra Jail and bring him back to Ganderbal. We borrowed money and brought Bashir back to home in a Taveera,” the family members said.

They said it is easy to get Kashmiri prisoners shifted to outside jails but once they are released, families find it hard to get them back. (KNT)

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday reported 27 fresh cases of novel coronavirus in last 24 hours, taking the number of Covid-19 patients in Jammu and Kashmir to 666.

Official sources told GNS that 15 persons include eight members of a family of a deceased elderly woman from Rainawari area tested positive in Srinagar. The other seven in Srinagar include 5 from Batpora (Abikarpora) area of Rainawari and one each from Narwara Eidgah and a nursing orderly from LD hospital who had been already under quarantine.

With these cases, Srinagar’s Covid-19 tally jumped to 106, second-highest in J&K after Bandipora which has 128 cases. It is pertinent to mention that 69 persons in Srinagar and 35 persons in Bandipora have recovered while three persons have died in these two districts.

Reports said Anantnag reported four cases, Shopian and Baramulla districts reported three cases each.

Samba in the Jammu division reported two fresh cases, taking the number of Covid-19 patients in the district to six even as four of them have recovered already. (GNS)

Srinagar: An army soldier was killed and another suffered injuries in an accidental grenade blast at Tanghdar area of north Kashmir’s Kupwara district.

Station House Officer (SHO) Tanghdar Waseem Ahmad Budoo told GNS that the grenade blast occurred inside the army’s 2 JAT post along the Line of Control (LoC) during an anti-militancy drill. The police officer said amid the drill senior officers were carrying out the inspection of arms and ammunition when the grenade explosion took place accidentally.

In the blast, two soldiers sustained splinter injuries and were immediately evacuated to army’s nearby health facility where one among them namely Naik Joginder Singh succumbed. The other injured have been identified as Naik Jitender Singh and is being treated upon, he said.

The SHO said that a police team also reached the spot and have taken the cognizance of the incident. (GNS)

Pulwama: Two militants have been killed in an ongoing encounter that raged between government forces and militants in Dangerpora area of main town Pulwama in South Kashmir on Saturday morning.

A senior police official confirmed to news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), that two militants have been killed in the gunfight, adding that search operation is on in the area.

Earlier, an official said that  Cordon and Search Operation (CASO) was launched in the area by joint team of forces including 55 RR, CRPF and Pulwama Police following specific inputs about the presence of militants.

“As forces zeroed towards suspected spot, the hiding militants fired upon forces which was retaliated, thus triggering an encounter,” he said

Meanwhile, the internet services have been snapped in Police district Pulwama as a precautionary measure—(KNO)

Srinagar, May 02: Gunfight breaks out between militants and goverment forces in Dangerpora area of South Kashmir’s Pulwama district on Saturday.

Reports reaching GNS said that a joint team of Police, army’s 55 RR and 182BN, 183BN of CRPF launched cordon search operation in Dangerpora.

As the joint team of forces approached towards the suspected spot, the hiding militants fired upon them, triggering an encounter.

A senior police officer also confirmed to GNS about the exchange of firing between forces and militants. As per the sources two to three militants believed to be trapped.

Baramulla: Two army soldiers who were earlier injured critically in cross-border shelling in Uri sector of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district succumbed to injuries in a military hospital on Friday late evening.

Official sources told GNS that four soldiers were injured in the shelling and were evacuated to nearby army’s health facility where two of them later succumbed to injuries and have been identified as Havaldar Gokaran Singh and Naik Shankar S P Coy.

Two other injured soldiers were identified as Havaldar Narayan Singh and Naik Pradeep Bhat.

“Today at about 15:30 hours, Pakistan initiated an unprovoked Ceasefire Violation (CFV) along the LoC in Rampur Sector, District Baramulla (J&K). Three soldiers have been injured in the CFV,” army’s Spokesman Col Rajesh Kalia had said. “Indian Army is retaliating befittingly,” the spokesman had said.

Earlier, four persons namely Shanaza Bano (12) daughter of Bashir Ahmad, Tahira Bano (20) wife of Liyaqat Ali , Touseef Ahmad Khatana (4) son of Bashir Ahmad Khatana and Hassan B wife of Husan Din Koli suffered injuries at Churanda village. According to police, the incident occurred after several shells landed in civilian areas which also created panic at Chrunda, Batgran, Hathlanga, Mothal, Sahoora, Silikote, Balkote, Nambla, Garkote areas.

Some splinters also landed in main town Uri and was also seen near the SDM office.

Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Uri Reyaz Ahmad Malik had also confirmed the injuries due to the shelling. Among the injured, the SDM said that 3 are seriously wounded and have been shifted to Sub-District Hospital Uri for treatment. (GNS)

Srinagar: An 18-year-old girl with symptoms of novel coronavirus died “on arrival” to GMC hospital Baramulla on Friday.

While doctors have taken her sample for coronavirus, her body was handed over to the family but asked to strictly follow protocol for Covid-19 patient.

Medical Superintendent GMC Baramulla Dr Syed Masood Bukhari told GNS that the 18-year-old from Khuroo Langate Handwara died of a heart attack.

“She died on arrival,” he said. On inquiring, he said, “the girl as per the family had high fever and breathlessness from last ten days and she was taken to Handwara hospital. However, the family thought to take her to GMC Baramulla.”

The swab sample of the teenager for coronavirus have been taken and sent for test, he said.

“We have handed over the body and all measures as are taken for a COVID-19 patient would have to be adhered to,” he said, adding, “We counseled the family for the importance of conducting last rites strictly as per Covid-19 protocol. We have also informed deputy commissioner Kupwara, as well as BMO, concerned regarding the last rites as per the Covid-19 protocol.” (GNS)

Lockdown persists for 38th day

Srinagar: For the first time in the holy month of Ramadan, the Masjids and shrines across Jammu and Kashmir witnessed no buzz with all the religious places remaining closed for over one month now in wake of deadly Coronavirus outbreak.

No mandatory congregational prayers were witnessed in any Masjid or shrine on the first Friday here, witnesses told news agency–Kashmir News Observer (KNO), adding that even Dargah Hazratbal and historic Jamia Masjid, which otherwise remain flooded with devotees remained closed today for prayers.

The authorities as well as the religious clerics have appealed people to offer prayers at home to prevent the deadly virus from spreading, which claimed eight lives so far and left 614 people infected.

The Masjids and shrines in other districts besides Srinagar also remained closed for the prayers. The religious places have been closed amid lockdown across India, called by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi in wake of Coronavirus.

Unlike previous Fridays in Ramadan, no stalls were seen installed outside the Masjids and shrines as well as in the markets where people were usually seen buying essentials and Attar, Miswak, Cap and other things.

Witnesses said that the lockdown continued to remain in force for 38th straight day in Jammu and Kashmir with authorities continue to deploy police and paramilitary troopers on roads to enforce the lockdown strictly.

They said the large contingent of forces were deployed on ground, who had erected concertina wires and put temporary barricades on the roads at many places, thus thwarting the vehicular as well as pedestrians movement in the respective areas.

It is worth to mention here that 105 red zones have been declared by the government so far, where the entry and exit of people is strictly being restricted and monitored.

The markets across Jammu and Kashmir continued to wear deserted look while as the business establishments and educational institutions including Schools, Colleges and Universities remained closed in the Union Territory –(KNO)