Category: Union Territory

  • 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

  • Mother of two from Pampore dies a day after giving birth, family alleges medical negligence

    BMO denies allegations

    Srinagar, May 26: A woman from Khrew area of Pampore died a day after giving birth to a baby boy with the family alleging medical negligence by doctors.

    Tabassum Jan, wife of Zahoor Ahmad Lone of Shar Shali Khrew was operated upon a day ago at SDH Pampore where she gave birth to a baby.

    Her family told news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that she developed complications and was administered injections and other medicines without showing any signs of improvement. She was shifted to SMHS Hospital in Srinagar but she was unconscious and was shifted to SKIMS Soura where she breathed her last after undergoing another surgery.

    The family alleged that Tabassum was operated on while her high blood pressure was high and demanded a probe into the incident.

    “We don’t need money or any other thing but the death of our daughter must be investigated and action must be taken against the officials involved in medical negligence,” they said.

    The deceased is mother of two boys including a day old baby.

    Meanwhile, Block Medical officer Pampore Dr Aasima Nazir said that as per preliminary investigation there was no medical negligence and the patient was treated with utmost care.

    A committee is going to be constituted to further investigate the matter and action as per law will follow in case of any negligence—(KNO)

  • Chadoora artist’s killing: Attackers enter home on pretext of making her video, says family

    Srinagar, May 26 (ANH): The persons involved in the killing of TV artist, Amreen Bhat of Hushoora area of Chadoorain Central Kashmir’s Budgam district had managed to enter into their house to make her video.

    Bhat, was also famous on social media for her reels and her page is followed by nearly 26,000 followers on instagram.

    Talking to The Asian News Hub (ANH), Zubair Ahmad, brother-in-law of slain TV artist, while commenting on her death, said that the attackers made their entry on the pretext of making her video.

    Bhat was attacked by suspected militants outside her house on Wednesday evening in which her 10-year-old nephew sustained bullet injury in his arm as well.“She was brought dead to the hospital,” Medical Superintendent of Shri Maharaja Hari Singh (SMHS) hospital, Dr Kanwaljeet Singh told a local news gathering agency.

    Zubair added that “it was at around 07:00 PM when she stepped out and was fired upon by two men, who made their entry on the pretext of making her video. What was her fault? Has she done any harm to anyone?” he questioned.
    Also Read: Infiltration bid foiled along LoC in Keran sector, 03 militants, porter killed: Army

    Police, however, have said that three militants of LeT are involved in the attack.

    When contacted, a senior police official said that the investigation is underway and all the angles are being probed. (ANH)

  • Yasin Malik kept in separate cell under heavy security: Tihar jail officials

    New Delhi, May 26: A day after a Delhi court awarded life imprisonment to Yasin Malik in a militant funding case, Tihar prison authorities here on Thursday said the separatist leader has been kept in a separate cell under heavy security.

    “For security reasons, Mailk may not be assigned any work in jail. He has been kept in a separate cell in jail number seven under heavy security. His security will be regularly monitored and reviewed from time to time,” a senior jail official said. Mailk will also not be entitled to any parole or furlough since he is a convict in a case of terror funding, jail officials said.

    Even before being awarded life imprisonment, Malik was kept in the separate cell where he stayed alone in jail number seven, they said.

    A Delhi court on Wednesday awarded life imprisonment to Malik in a terror funding case, saying the crimes committed by him struck at the “heart of the idea of India” and were intended to forcefully secede Jammu & Kashmir from Union of India.

    Special Judge Praveen Singh awarded varying jail terms to Malik for offences under the stringent anti-terror law–Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) and the IPC, rejecting the NIA’s plea for capital punishment.

    According to the Supreme Court, life imprisonment means incarceration till the last breath, unless the sentence is commuted by the authorities.

    The entire Delhi Prisons, which comprises — Tihar, Mandoli and Rohini jails — currently has 1,600 convicts out of the total of 19,500 prisoners, they said.–(PTI)

  • 7 dead as vehicle rolls down gorge at Zojila Pass

    Ganderbal, May 26: Seven people were killed and one was critically injured after a vehicle rolled down a deep gorge along Zojila Pass in Sonamarg in central-Kashmir’s Ganderbal district.

    Officials told news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that a Tavera car JK12/6477 travelling from Kargil to Sonamarg skidded off the road and fell into the 400-ft deep gorge at Zojila pass Mandir Morh

    He said that in the incident seven persons including five non-locals have lost their lives while as one more from Jharkhand received injuries who has been hospitalized.

    He identified the deceased as Azhar Iqbal son of Liyakat Hussain resident of Poonch, Ankit Dileep son of Dileep kumar resident of Gujarat, Gandhi Marmu son of Mangal Marmu resident of Jharkhand, Ranjit s/o Rohit Kumar resident of Phatankot Punjab, Mohd Aslam Paray son of Ab Rashid Paray resident of Kulgam, Nanak Chand son of Bhagvan chand resident of Mathura, UP and Mangal Marmu son of Qadam Marmu resident of Jharkhand.

    Injured has been identified as Arvind yadav son of Dayanand Yadav resident of Jharkand has been hospitalized.

    Police has taken cognizance of the incident and set investigation into motion—(KNO)

  • ‘My doors open for students’: KU VC interacts with class representatives

    Assures phased redressal of all grievances, faculty-wise meetings

    Srinagar, May 25: Vice-Chancellor University of Kashmir Prof Nilofer Khan on Wednesday interacted with class representatives from various PG departments in the main campus as well as the varsity’s satellite campuses in Anantnag and Baramulla. 

    The interaction session was organised and coordinated by the Department of Students Welfare (DSW).

    Remarking that students are close to her heart, Prof Nilofer said the student community is the most important stakeholder in the University system. 

    “My doors will be open for my students to listen to them and seek their valuable suggestions on how we can together march in our journey towards academic excellence in its true sense,” the Vice-Chancellor said.

    After listening to several concerns expressed by class representatives, Prof Nilofer said all these concerns would be categorised by her administration and addressed in a phased manner, beginning with immediate ones, to ensure maximum convenience and comfort for the student community throughout their campus life. 

    She urged students from all departments and campuses to actively participate in extracurricular activities to boost their personality and intellectual growth.

    Prof Nilofar said she is glad to have taken the charge of KU VC after having served the University as its first woman Dean Students Welfare.

    “This makes my job to connect with my students much easier. I shall continue to engage with students more frequently to hear them and address all their genuine grievances,” the VC said.

    She said the University administration is committed to provide a secure academic environment for its students and ensure that maximum number of girl students are accommodated within the campus hostels itself.

    “Our Department of Students Welfare under the leadership of Prof Raies Qadri has been holding functions frequently. However, I assure that our Department of Students Welfare will be more vibrant in coming days and it will shortly come up with a roadmap of extracurricular activities to draw participation of more students in activities like debating etc.,” she said.

    The VC said the concept of student councils comprising class representatives is there to be implemented for drawing students, especially more and more girl students, to such extracurricular activities.

    Registrar Dr Nisar Ahmad Mir highlighted the infrastructural facilities which have been created for the students, including some new hostels. He said more such facilities would be created to ensure that students do no suffer in any manner on account of lack of facilities in classrooms and labs.

    Prof Raies A Qadri, DSW, assured the Vice-Chancellor that more student-centric activities would be held in near future.

    KU Cultural Officer Shahid Ali Khan conducted proceedings of the event, while Junior Coordinator DSW Zahid Jeelani moderated the interaction session.

    Special Secretary to VC Dr Tanveer A Shah was also present on the occasion.(KNS) 

  • Hurriyat Terror Financing Case: NIA special Court announces life imprisonment to JKLF chief Yasin Malik

    ‘Shutdown in Lal Chowk, mobile internet snapped in parts of valley’

    Srinagar, May 25: National Investigation Agency (NIA) special court on Thursday announced its verdict and sentenced life imprisonment to JKLF chief Muhammad Yasin Malik in “Hurriyat-Terror Financing Case.”

    A statement issued to news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), the NIA said that today, NIA Special Court, Patiala House, New Delhi pronounced sentence convicting accused under various sections of UA(P) Act and IPC as follows: “Yasin Malik alias Aslam s/o Md. Ghulam Qadir Malik r/o Yasin Gali, Mayasuma, Srinagar, UT of J&K was sentenced to: 10 yrs rigorous imprisonment ( RI) and fine under section 120B of IPC , Life imprisonment and fine under section 121 of IPC, 10 yrs RI and fine under section 121A of IPC, 05 yrs RI and fine under section 13 of UA(P) Act r/w 120B of IPC, 10 years RI and fine under section 15 of UA(P)Act r/w 120B of IPC, Life imprisonment and fine under section 17 of UA(P) Act, 10 years RI and fine under section 18 of UA( P) Act, 10 years RI and fine under section 20 of UA( P) Act, 5 years RI and fine under section 38 of UA(P) Act, 5 years RI and fine under section 39 of UA( P) Act.”

    The NIA statement said the case pertains to the conspiracy of Hafiz Muhammad Saeed, Amir of Jamaat-ud-Dawah and the secessionist and separatist leaders, including the members/cadres of the Hurriyat Conference, who acted in connivance with active militants of militant organisations viz Hizb-ul-Mijahideen, Dukhtaran-e-Millat, Laskhar-e-Taiba and others to raise, receive and collects funds domestically and from abroad through various illegal channels, including hawala, for funding separatist and activities in J&K to cause disruption in the Kashmir valley by way of pelting stones on security forces, systematically burning schools, damaging public property and waging war against India.

    “The case was registered suo moto by NIA on 30.05.2017. Chargesheet was filed against 12 accused persons including two absconding accused persons namely Hafiz Mohammad Saeed, head of LeT and Yusuf Shah alias Salahuddin, head of HM, both based in Pakistan on 18.01.2018. Subsequently, first supplementary chargesheet was filed against one accused person on 22.01.2019 and second supplementary chargesheet was filed against 05 persons including convicted accused Yasin Malik on 04.10.2019,” the statement said. “Trial against remaining 14 accused persons in the case continues”, Meanwhile, a shutdown was observed in the area besides other areas including Lal Chowk etc. The authorities snapped the mobile internet at some parts of the valley as a precautionary measure—(KNO)

  • 3 Top JeM Militants, Cop Killed In ‘Chance’ Encounter In Baramulla

    Srinagar, May 25: Three wanted foreign militants and a policeman were killed in a ‘chance’ in Baramulla district on Wednesday. According to the police, the trio was active for a long time in general areas of the north Kashmir district and were being “tracked.”

    “Acting on generic information, regarding movement of (militants) in Kreeri area of Baramulla, multiple nakas were established at many places including near Shrakwara-Najibhat Crossing in Kreeri area by Police and Army’s 52 RR,” a senior police officer told GNS. As the naka party noticed the group of militants travelling in a silver colour Santro car, the officer said, the militants started firing indiscriminately upon the naka party which was retaliated effectively, leading to a “chance encounter”. In the fierce gunfight, he said, three foreign militants were killed along with a 32-year-old police personnel namely Mudasir Ahmad Sheikh (SPO), a resident of Uri.

    The officer identified the militant as Jash-e-Mohammad’s Hanief Bhai, Ali Bhai and Shah Wali, all residents of “Pakistan”. “This group of (militants) was active since long time in general areas of district Baramulla and were being tracked,” the officer said. He said that all three militants belonged to ‘A’ category. He said that ‘incriminating’ materials including huge cache of arms and ammunition and IEDs have been recovered from the site of encounter. He said three AK-47 rifles along with 15 magazines, five chinese hand grenades, three IEDs , three Ammunition Pouches and Santro vehicle have been recovered.

    Talking to media persons at wreath laying ceremony of SPO at District Police Line Baramulla, IGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar termed the killing of these militants as a “big success”.
    “He congratulated the joint forces for their relentless work and great synergy/coordination on ground that led to elimination of 22 foreign (militants) during this year across the Valley,” he was quoted as saying in a police statement issued here to GNS. He said the JeM group was on their way to Srinagar for attacks. “The elimination of foreign (militants) is our top priority as they are responsible for luring the gullible youth to join (militant) folds.”

    Referring to yesterday’s militant incident at Soura, IGP Kashmir said that the two local militants of LeT (TRF) were involved in the attack and have been identified as Adil resident of Ganderbal and a newly recruited militant Aquib of Chadoora Budgam. (GNS)

  • TV Artist, nephew injured in militant attack in Chadoora Budgam

    Srinagar, May 25: A TV artist and her nephew were injured when militants fired upon them in Hishroo area of Chadoora in Central Kashmir’s Budgam district on Wednesday.

    A top police officer told GNS that militants fired upon the artist ( Playing role in Tv Dramas) Ambreen, and her 10 -year -old nephew outside their home in Hishroo Chadoora.

    Both of them were immediately removed to hospital, the officer said.

    Condition of Ambreen is stated to be critical while her nephew has bullet injury in arm and is stated to be stable.

    Meanwhile entire area has been cordoned off to nab the attackers.(GNS)