Category: Union Territory

Srinagar: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh Friday reviewed the operational preparedness as well as measures to fight COVID-19 with all the Commanders in Chief through a video conference.

Along with Defence Minister, Chief of Defence Staff and Secretary Department of Military Affairs General Bipin Rawat, Chief of Army Staff General M M Naravane, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Karambir Singh, Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal R K S Bhadauria, Defence Secretary Dr Ajay Kumar and Secretary (Defence Finance) Gargi Kaul participated in the conference.

According to the statement issued to news agency KINS, Defence minister in his address appreciated the role of the Armed Forces for the assistance extended to the local civilian administration and preparatory measures taken to fight COVID-19.

“Rajnath Singh expected the Forces to ensure their operational preparedness, while they are battling COVID-19 and the adversary should not be allowed to exploit the current situation. He also directed the Forces to initiate measures to spend the financial resources, avoiding wastage in view of the economic burden imposed by COVID-19”.

According to the statement stressing on the requirement of jointness of the Armed Forces, Rajnath Singh asked the Commanders in Chief to identify and prioritise tasks that could be accomplished quickly and assist in revival of the economy after the lockdown is lifted.

“During the conference the Commanders in Chief apprised the Defence Minister of various measures put in place by them to prevent virus infection among the Forces and assistance extended to the local civilian administration. “These include issue of Standard Operating Procedures on COVID-19, introduction of appropriate modifications in protocols and drills as per the advisories issued by Ministry of Health & Family Welfare and other agencies and taking care of the Ex-Servicemen and their families residing in their respective command areas”.

The Commanders appreciated recent devolution of emergency financial powers by the Ministry of Defence that has ensured timely procurement of necessary medical supplies, to bolster the health infrastructure of the hospitals.

“The Armed Forces have in a holistic manner taken upon themselves the responsibility of improving the support in dealing with COVID-19, by augmenting additional manpower, by providing them basic training, to deal with the epidemic” the statement reads.

“The Commanders have apprised that isolation and quarantine facilities have been set up for use of the Forces as well as the local civilian administration. They have also expressed readiness to pitch in to maintain essential services locally if requested by the civilian administration”

Officers from the following Commands participated in the video Conference: Northern Command, Udhampur; Eastern Command, Kolkata; Southern Naval Command, Kochi; Western Naval Command, Mumbai; Southern Command, Pune; South-Western Command, Jaipur; Western Air Command, Delhi; Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam; Central Air Command, Allahabad; South-West Air Command, Gandhinagar; Southern Air Command, Trivendrum; Central Command, Lucknow; and Andaman & Nicobars Command, Port Blair.(KINS)

Srinagar: Amid the Coronavirus pandemic and the lockdown in India, over 250 Kashmiri students stuck in Bhopal city of Madhya Pradesh are demanding immediate evacuation, saying they are gripped in fear and panic.

These Kashmiri students are facing immense hardships, have nothing to eat and are out of pocket.

“We want to go home and request Jammu Kashmir Government to evacuate us from Bhopal. In this we talked to District Development Commissioner Bhopal who in turn informed Government of India, but till date nothing has been done to give us a respite,” said a student Muzaffar Hussain to Kashmir News Trust.

There around 250 Kashmiri students stranded in Bhopal and all are students studying there.

“We don’t know how long will this lock down continue and we are about to suffer a mental breakdown,” the students said. “Who will not get into panic in such a situation and far from home,” he added.

In a series of tweets, former chief minister Omar Abdullah has expressed concern over the Valley locals stuck in different states. He appealed Jammu Kashmir Government to get the stranded students back to Valley.

Most of these stranded students in Bhopal are hailing from Central Kashmir’s Budgam district.

When contacted District Development Commissioner Budgam, Tariq Ahmed Ganai said that they will decide about the matter and will try to bring these students back. “Authorities will think about the matter. There are other Kashmiris who are stuck as well in many parts,” he told KNT.

Srinagar: The Jammu & Kashmir High Court on Friday directed the government to file its response on the petition filed by the renowned journalist and author, Gowhar Geelani seeking quashing of FIR lodged against him under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act -1967

A bench of High Court headed by Justice Ali Muhammad Magrey directed the government to file its response on the petition before the next date of hearing scheduled on May 20.

The registration of FIRs against Gowhar, freelance photojournalist Masrat Zahra and summoning of The Hindu’s special correspondent Peerzada Ashiq by police has evoked widespread criticism from different quarters. The international bodies of Journalists like Reporters San Frontiers (RSF), Committee for Protection of Journalists(CPJ) and International Federation of Journalists(IFJ) have demanded withdrawal of charges against them

Plea of petitioner

Appearing on behalf of the petitioner, counsel Salih Pirzada submitted that Cyber police station has no jurisdiction to register and investigate offences under the UA(P)A-1967. “Learned counsel appearing for the petitioner submits that the ground of jurisdiction of the Cyber Police Station to register and investigate the case outside the scope of Information Technology Act, 2000 has already been the subject matter of the decision by Kerala High Court in case titled Rajesh Vs State of Kerala and the said Court while quashing the FIR has held that the Cyber Police Station has no power to investigate the offence beyond the one arising out of the provisions of Information Technology Act, 2000,” reveals the order, a copy of which is with the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO)

He also submitted that the FIR does not disclose the commission of offence under Sections 505 of IPC and Section 13 of Unlawful Activities (Preventions) Act, 1967.

“The information forming basis for registration of FIR for commission of offence under the provisions of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, does not meet the requirement of the definitions made in Section 3 of the Act of 1967,” the counsel contended.

Appearing on behalf of the government, additional advocate general BA Dar submitted that after registration of FIR, the government has transferred the case to Police Station Sadder for investigation.

“Learned counsel submits that on registration of the case, the Cyber Police Station, Kashmir Zone, has forwarded the matter to the Supervisory authority of Police and the Inspector General of Police, Kashmir, transferred the case to Police Station, Sadder, for investigation in terms of order dated 22.04.2020, therefore, the jurisdiction aspect of the matter is not available to the petitioner to seek quashment of FIR, which otherwise also, cannot be a ground for quashment of FIR,” the order reveals.

The AAG also submitted he could not meet all the grounds raised by the petitioner due to non-availability of the petition. Gowhar is a renowned journalist and author contributing to Deutsche Welle (Germany), The Federal, British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) and other media outlets—(KNO)

Pulwama: People pelted stones on police when they tried to disperse them after they had gathered in a mosque to offer Friday congregational prayers in South Kashmir’s Pulwam district.

Sources told KNT that over 100 people gathered at a mosque in Qasbayar Drabgam area of South Kashmir’s Pulwama district to offer Friday congregational prayers. As police received information about the development, they rushed to spot and asked them to disperse. As people came out from the mosque, they pelted stones on police who in retaliation fired a couple of tear-smoke shells.

The clashes created panic in the area.
When contacted, a senior police official told KNT that over 100 people had gathered at a mosque, thus violating the rule of social distancing and prohibitory orders. “They pelted stones and we fired two shells to disperse them,” he said adding that some culprits were arrested from the spot.

Pertinently, last Friday, similar incident occurred at Ganistan Sumbal area of North Kashmir’s Banipora district.

“We request people to abide by the law and help in containment of the spread of Covid-19 outbreak,” the senior official said. (KNT)

Srinagar: A policeman was abducted by suspected militants in evening from Mingipora area of South Kashmir’s Shopian district on thrusday.

Reports reaching GNS said that a policeman was abducted on Thursday evening by suspected militants from Mingipora.

A senior police officer also confirmed the incident to GNS and said that a joint team of police and army have been dispatched to the area to trace out the abducted cop.

The officer identified the abudcted constable as Javid Jabbar son of Abdul Jabbar (Belt no. 4613/S) of Chatwatan Vihil Shopian. According to the police officer, Jabbar is posted as an escort duty of SDPO Zakura Srinagar,however, the cop had returned home on leave.

Meanwhile, when reports last came in the search operation was going on in the village and its adjoining areas. (GNS)

MS GMC Baramulla says allegations baseless, doctor was put under quarantine on same day when his sample was taken

Baramulla: Fear and panic has gripped the residents of Baramulla district after a junior doctor posted at GMC tested positive for novel Corona-virus who is believed to have attended hundreds of patients even after his sample was collected for Covid-19 testing on Sunday afternoon.

Official sources told news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), that a junior doctor who tested positive for Covid-19 on Tuesday was working as per the routine roster at GMC Baramulla even after his sample was collected.

A health official posted at GMC Baramulla said that the said doctor was attending Covid-19 patients admitted in isolation ward and was also attending other patients on daily basis as per the routine roaster.

He claimed that the doctor has come in contact with many health workers and other hospital staff at GMC. “He was also offering joint prayers with the staff posted there.”

This has caused fear and panic among the health workers and other staff posted at GMC, fearing that they might have contracted the virus from the doctor.

Suhail Ahmad, a local resident who claimed to have visited district hospital Baramulla few days ago to donate the protection equipments told KNO that the doctor was rooming without wearing mask in the hospital premises and also attended hundreds of patients.

He said that the doctor was attending patients even after his report was received on Tuesday afternoon which came positive.

Meanwhile the officials said that doctors’ wife has also tested positive for Covid-19 on Thursday, thereby creating more fear among his contacts.

However the medical superintendent, GMC Baramulla, Dr. Syed Masood denied the allegations and said the doctor was not allowed to perform his duty after his sample was collected on Sunday.

“Rumours are being spread about the doctor that he has attended the patients after collection of sample are baseless. He was not allowed to work after his samples was collected instead was put under quarantine,” he said.

Dr, Masood said that over 50 contacts including some health workers have been put under quarantine so far—(KNO)

Srinagar: The government will soon come up with rules for implementation of the domicile law on jobs in Jammu & Kashmir, sources told news agency — Kashmir News Observer (KNO)

Highly placed sources disclosed that General Administration Department (GAD) will come up with detailed  guidelines  for implementation of the changes made by the Centre in “The Jammu and Kashmir Civil Services, Decentralization and Recruitment Act-2010” to reserve all jobs for J&K domiciles.

“The rules would be notified shortly,” the sources said, adding that discussions have taken place between different departments over the matter.

According to sources, the rules will define procedure for obtaining domicile certificate and competent authorities which will certify whether a person seeking domicile certificate has remained in J&K for the requisite period prescribed under the law.“The rules would be in consonance with the law,” they told KNO.

On April 3, the Central government notified changes in the Jammu & Kashmir Civil Services (Decentralization and Recruitment) Act to reserve all jobs for J&K domiciles.

The law defines domiciles as those who are living in the Union Territory for 15 years. It also includes those who have studied for seven years in the UT and appeared in 10th or 12th class in J&K. All the migrants registered by the Relief and Rehabilitation Commissioner would also be eligible for the reservation.

The children of central government employees, All India Service officers, public sector undertakings, statutory bodies, central universities and recognized central research institutes who have served in J&K for 10 years would also fall in the category of domiciles.

Under section 15 of the law, the Government may, by notification in the Government Gazette, make rules for carrying out the purposes of the Act.

“Any rule made under this Act shall as soon as may be after it is made, laid before each House of the State Legislature,” reads sub-section (2) of section 15. Before abrogation of Article 370 by BJP-led Central government, all jobs in J&K were reserved for its permanent residents—(KNO)

Srinagar: Police on Thursday arrested a newly recruited militant from Neehama area of Kulgam district in south Kashmir.

Reports reaching GNS said that following a tip-off, a police party during a raid apprehended the militant at Neehama village.

Confirming it, a police officer identified the arrested militant as Shakir Ahmad Alie son of Mushtaq Ahmad Alie, a resident of DH Pora, Kulgam. “Some arms and ammunition were recovered from the arrested person,” he said.

A case in this connection has been filed and further investigations initiated.

Alie, according to police had joined militant outfit Hizbul Mujahideen on April 14. (GNS)