Category: Union Territory

Srinagar, Feb 04: At least a dozen people were questioned by Cyber Police Kashmir on Friday for allegedly sharing the Srinagar acid victim’s photos on social media sites.

An official of Cyber Police said that these people were called for enquiring why they shared Srinagar acid victims pictures on social media handles.

The official said “majority of those summoned for questioning were minors.”

He said they were all released after proper counselling by the Cyber Police officials.

Earlier, Cyber Police appealed to people to refrain from sharing the acid victim’s photo on social media platforms.

In the appeal, police also said those who will be found sharing the sufferers’ images will be taken to task.

The Cyber Police officer reiterated its appeal to people, saying not to share such content on their social media sites especially these sensitive pictures or the victim’s name and address.

The officer said that there are also Supereme Court guidelines that no person can print or publish the victim in print, electronic, social media, etc.

The name of the victim, or even in a remote manner, discloses any facts which can lead to the victim’s being identified and which should make her identity known to the public at large.

Pertinently, scores of people were sharing the pictures of the Srinagar acid victim who was attacked by her “ex-fiance” on Tuesday evening in the Wantpora area when she was returning home from work.

The 24-year-old girl is currently being treated at SMHS Srinagar, where she is battling for her life.

The attack on the 24-year-old girl sparked widespread public outrage, and several political parties, students, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and social activists took to the streets in solidarity with the victim, demanding capital punishment to the accused.

Srinagar, Feb 04: Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) on Friday welcomed the expert panel report to ban private practice of doctors in medical colleges.

A committee of medical experts constituted on the directions of Jammu and Kashmir High Court in its report has recommended a blanket ban on private practice of doctors in medical colleges.

The committee comprised of Prof Y.K. Chawla – Former Director PGI, Chandigarh, Prof Showkat Ali Zargar – Former Director SKIMS, Srinagar, Prof Kaisar Ahmad – Former Principal Govt Medical College, Srinagar and Prof Ravi Gupta- ex- Medical Superintendent GMCH, Chandigarh.

Urging JK government to implement the recommendations of the committee, DAK President Dr Nisar ul Hassan said private practice has eaten away our premier health institutions which not only are crucial life-saving assets, but also full time centers for medical education and research.

Dr Hassan said the academic character of the health institutions has got damaged and profession of healthcare has got affected by private practice.

“There is no provision of private practice of doctors working in teaching hospitals as they have a huge responsibility of patient care, teaching and research,” he said.

The DAK President said government doctor is a government servant all the 24 hours of the day, round the clock and does not cease to be one during the spare hours when he/she is away from duty.

“Permitting private practice at any time in the day is bound to affect the discharge of official duties by government doctors,” he added.

Vice-President DAK Dr Mir Mohd Iqbal said it is ironic that full-time government doctors are allowed to run private hospitals depriving poor and underprivileged of essential healthcare.

“Doctors concentrate their attention and work effort on private practice at the expense of public hospitals,” he said.

General Secretary DAK Dr Arshad Ali said doctors use public hospitals as recruiting grounds for their private practice and orchestrate scenarios to generate business for their clinics.

“The dual practice creates a pervasive incentive for doctors to increase waiting times at government hospitals so that patients are forced to go to private clinics,” he said.

Spokesperson DAK Dr Riyaz Ahmad Dagga said private sector should grow, but not at the cost of public health sector.

“Private hospitals can’t run their business by hiring government doctors who are appointed full-time for public sector,” he said adding “time has come to segregate health sectors and doctors have to decide whether to work for private or public health sector.”

Main accused was given a life term till his last breath by a sessions court of Pathakot that described it as a ‘devilish and monstrous crime

Chandigarh: The bail application of main accused Sanji Ram, sentenced to undergo a life imprisonment for the rape and murder of an eight-year-old nomad girl in Kathua, has been posted for hearing on February 24 by the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

The application came up for hearing on Thursday before a division bench of justices Tejinder Singh Dhindsa and Lalit Batra through video conferencing during which the counsel for Jammu and Kashmir R S Cheema requested for a new date that was granted.

Ram had moved an application under section 389 of Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) before the high court. Under this provision, an accused can approach the court for suspension of his sentence pending an appeal.

Ram was given a life term till his last breath by a sessions court of Pathakot that described it as a “devilish and monstrous crime”.

“There are various lacunas in the investigations conducted by the prosecution agency as well as in the statements recorded during trial court,” the petition of Ram claimed while seeking relief.

Ram, the mastermind and caretaker of the ‘devasthanam’ (temple) where the crime took place in January 2018, Deepak Khajuria, a Special Police Officer, and Parvesh Kumar, a civilian—the three main accused—were given life term.

Three other policemen were sentenced to five-year imprisonment for cover up and destruction of evidence while Ram’s son Vishal was acquitted.

“In the present case, facts are many but truth is one that under a criminal conspiracy, an innocent eight-year-old minor girl has been kidnapped, wrongfully confined, drugged, raped and ultimately murdered. The perpetrators of this crime have acted in such a manner as if there is a ‘law of jungle’ prevalent in the society,” sessions judge at Pathankot Tejwinder Singh had said in his order in June 2019.

Holding that perpetrators of the gangrape acted as if there is a “law of jungle” prevalent in the society, Singh had summed up the enormity of the crime with a touching couplet by Mirza Ghalib which says “Pinha tha daam-e-sakht qareeb ashiyaan ke, udhne hi nahi paye the ki girftar hum hue” (hunters had placed the net near a nest and the young one was caught before it could take its first flight).

In his judgment after hearing arguments from both sides for 367 days, the judge had termed in his 432-page judgment the crime as “devilish and monstrous” committed in the most “shameful, inhumane and barbaric manner” for which “poetic justice” needs to be done to its perpetrators.

“The circumstantial evidence led by the prosecution is definite which unerringly points out towards the guilt of the accused. The circumstances taken cumulatively from a chain so complete that there is no escape from the conclusion that within all human probability that the crime was committed by the accused and none else.

“The circumstantial evidence is complete in itself and is incapable of explanation of any other hypothesis that the guilt of the accused and such evidence is consistent with the guilt of the accused,” the judge said, adding that the circumstantial evidence led by the prosecution has to be given “due weightage in the case”.

The Punjab and Haryana High court had in December last year suspended sentence of former sub-inspector Anand Dutta and former head constable Tilak Raj and released them on bail pending an appeal. Both of them had been sentenced for five years for destruction of evidence.

Mohammed Yusuf, who had adopted the eight-year-girl, and the Mohammed Akhthar, biological father of the victim, had reacted to the developments saying that their plea for challenging the acquittal of Vishal and enhancement of sentence was pending with the court while the accused were getting bail.

The 15-page charge sheet filed in April 2018 said the girl was kidnapped on January 10 that year and was raped in captivity in a small village temple, exclusively manned by Ram, after keeping her sedated for four days. She was later bludgeoned to death, it had said.

Mohammed Yusuf had claimed that efforts were being made to dilute the case to the extent that all the culprits were out.

“When the accused are out on bail, I fear that one day I will be booked under some frivolous charge and thrown into jail. They are very powerful people.

“Already rumours have started doing rounds that the case was going to be re-investigated by the CBI and all the accused will be out on bail,” he had said.

The case triggered a nationwide outrage when the girl was found murdered on January 17, 2018. After initial hiccups, the case was handed over to the crime branch on January 27 of the same year which unraveled the conspiracy behind the heinous crime where the little girl was kidnapped and brutally raped for four days before being killed in a barbaric manner.

The Supreme Court in 2018 directed the case to be shifted out of Jammu and Kashmir and directed the sessions court in Pathankot to hear it on a daily basis. (PTI)

‘Oral cancers likely to increase, curb cancer rate by changing lifestyle’

Srinagar, Feb 03: Cancer is one of the leading causes of mortality and morbidity worldwide while the cases of disease are exponentially increasing in J&K.

Officials said that in the last three years (2019 to 2021) the UT has reported 39,041 cancer cases and around 22,000 persons have died in UT in three years from 2018-20.

They said that stomach cancer was the most commonly reported cancer (25.2%), followed by colorectal cancer (16.4%) and lung cancer (13.2%) among males. For females, colorectal cancer (16.8%), breast cancer (16.1%), and stomach cancer (10.4%) were the most frequently reported cancers in order of frequency.

Professor Sanaullah Kuchay Head of Department, Radiation Oncology, GMC Srinagar while talking with the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) said that since 1994 there has been an exponential increase in cancer cases in J&K.

He said that as per data there is a persistent rise in cancer in UT and lung cancer is most common in J&K.

“If we get collective cancers, organ specific, the GIT forms around 60 percent of our bulk. The GIT includes esophagus, stomach, colorectal cancers,” he said.

Kuchay said that though Kashmir being a health resort there are many reasons and the most important is that around 25 percent of the population has become smokers which has direct relation with lungs.

“Besides, pollution is the other reason behind it as there are some pollutants in the air which can cause cancer. This needs to be addressed,” he said.

Kuchay said that earlier colorectal cancers were reported in elderly people only but now such cancers are found in younger people as well due to change in lifestyle.

“People are taking a lot of red meat, do low exercise, eat less fruits and vegetables due to which colorectal cancers are reported in young people who are of age 20 which was otherwise found in people above 50,” he said.

“In order to curb cancer rate, We have to change our lifestyle that is we have to leave sedentary lifestyle, complete ban on smoking and people must take lot of fruits and vegetables rich in Vitamin A and vitamin C,” he said, adding cooking and diet system needs to be changed and salt tea must be used as low as possible and never drink hot tea besides that ripening agents must be banned and colouring agents must be avoided or used under limits.

Dr Sheikh Zahoor Ahmad from Department of Oncology at SKIMS said that with change in lifestyle, the profile of cancer has started to change in J&K and g junction cancer has increased now due to obesity.

Zahoor said that the number of such cancers related to our lifestyle have started increasing and we are expecting in coming years oral cancer is likely to become common cancer in J&K due to smoking.

“Factors that can increase your risk of mouth cancer include tobacco use of any kind, including cigarettes, cigars, pipes, chewing tobacco and snuff, among others and heavy alcohol use,” he said—(KNO)

Srinagar, Feb 3: Day after the news of Waheed Para’s ill health in jail came to fore, mainstream political leaders, civil society, academicians, journalists, research scholars, common people, and others took to social media and requested administration for his early release, keeping in view Waheed’s deteriorating health conditions, reported news agency Kashmir Dot Com.

“Reports about the worsening health condition of political prisoner Waheed in jail is disturbing, the administration still appears intent on keeping him behind bars.” laments his family.

Former Chief Minister and President People’s Democratic Party, Mehbooba Mufti urged Home Minister of India to facilitate medical care and assistance for Waheed who is in jail from November 2020.

“Waheed Para jailed since November 2020 on baseless charges is in need of urgent medical care & assistance. Request & urge @HMOIndia to facilitate this at the earliest.”, wrote Mehbooba Mufti on social networking site twitter.

Sajad Lone, Chief of Jammu Kashmir People’s Conference, former minister and legislature, who spent 6 months with Waheed in jail took to social media and tweeted,

“I hope there is nothing serious. And hope he is medically examined. Wahid and me were jail mates together for 6 months. He is an amazing person. Hope he is a free man soon. My best wishes. And lots of love.”

Central Committee member of CPI (M) and former legislature, M Y Tarigami urged release of Waheed para and access him to health care on health grounds. He wrote, “Administration must release Waheed Para, whose health is deteriorating. So, as he can get access to medical care. Of note, charges against him have not been proved by investigative agencies in the court of law.” wrote Tarigami.

Padma Bhushan, former Deputy CM of J&K, and former parliamentarian, Muzzaffar Hussain Baig requested administration and HMO India to revive Waheeds case compassionately and expressed his concern over his health. He wrote, “Deeply concerned about health conditions of Waheed who’s under detention for more than two years now. Request administration to see his case compassionately and pray for his speedy recovery and release @HMOIndia”.

Former legislature and Minister, President All J&K Shia Association and General secretary, JKPC, Imran Reza Ansari expressed worry about waheed health. He wrote, “Really worried about Brother Waheed Para’s health situation. I hope the administration ensures best medical support to him. Praying for his well-being, safety and release.”

Well known writer, journalist and an analyst, David Devdas while quoting a news story, wrote on Twitter, “worried about @parawahid, who apparently lost consciousness in jail and was shifted to hospital. I wish Wahid good health and a long life.”

Former legislature, cabinet minister and general secretary, J&KPDP, Dr Mehboob Beg showed concern over waheeds continous detention and expressed his belief on judiciary, he wrote “Waheed-incarcerated snce 2020,ovr charges dt hv nt bn provd,cnt b denied hz basic fundamental&human https://t.co/YPaOS4i4n6 State & no Court cn deny hm dt.They r duty bound 2 ensre dt hz provided wd immediate medical care n d Court mst consider releasing hm @jkpdp @MehboobaMufti” wrote Beg.

Former Education and R&B cabinet Minister of J&K PDP, Naeem Akhtar wrote, “Waheed is a thinking, articulate young voice who talks politics, democratic rights, constitutional language. That’s why he is seen as a threat and treated as an enemy. But his persecutors can’t write his destiny. He has a role to play. God will protect him.”

Salman Anees Soz of Congress expressed anguish over the crushing of dissent, asked for attention by PMO and Rahul Gandhi and wrote, “How long will our youth rot in prisons, incarcerated under diabolical laws, at the mercy of a political system that seeks to crush dissent. @parawahid was a budding politician from J&K. @jkpdp’s youth leader. But now he suffers. His family suffers. @PMOIndia @RahulGandhi”.

Tariq Hameed Karra, former minister and parliamentarian expressed deep concern over waheeds health and continuous detention and wrote, “Is @parawahid a CONVICT or an UNDER TRIAL. Both have Constitutional provisions, CrPC rules & many SupremeCourt rulings favouring their rights. https://t.co/0RfIMceehZ It’s time when the Country’s OWN Judicial System needs to be UNDER TRIAL  #WaheedParaNeedsHealthcare”.

Former parliamentarian, Mir Fayaz expressed concern over waheeds health and urged PMO and HMO for revisiting waheeds case and assistance in health. He wrote, “Reports associating ill health of Waheed Para are quite disturbing & concerning. He has been a torch bearer for unorganised youth constituency & showed them the path of mainstream for national interest. He deserves to be a free man & proper health care @PMOIndia @HMOIndia”.

Former legislature from shopian Advocate Mohd Yousuf Bhat expressed his deep concern and wrote, “The unwarranted arrest of @parawahid had already disgruntled young faces & now his deteriorating health has pained them further. Requesting @OfficeOfLGJandK to provide adequate & effective medical assistance to him & allay all apprehension relating to his health. @MehboobaMufti”.

Famous social and RTI activist, Dr Raja Muzaffar advocated for waheeds early release and medical care, he wrote, “Waheed needs medial health facility. Release him forthwith”.

Chairperson DDC Baramulla and Women’s wing President of J&KPC, Safina Baig requested administration to facilitate medical assistance for waheed and prayed for his early release from jail. She wrote, “Very disturbed to hear about deteriorating health conditions of my younger brother Waheed. I pray this bad phase passes away. May God allow you a speedy recovery & hasten your release. Requesting LG administration to facilitate his medical assistance on priority.”

Javed Beigh, General Secretary of People’s Democratic Front (PDF), expressed concern about waheeds health and requested LG Manoj Sinha for health case assistance for waheed

“@jkpdp Leader @parawahid is not keeping well for as per media reports . His health condition is deteriorating and he had fallen unconscious yesterday. Requesting Hon’ble LG @manojsinha_Ji to direct jail authorities for his advanced medical treatment.”

There are enormous appeals from different quarters expressing concern about Waheed’s continuous detention and severe health conditions. Requests have been pouring in for the administration to consider Waheed’s early release and medical assistance in his favour. (KDC)

NEW DELHI: Senior Congress politician and MP Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday accused the Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi of “bringing China and Pakistan” together and making a “huge strategic mistake” in Jammu and Kashmir.

Attacking the BJP led Government of India, Gandhi said that the country has been surrounded by adversaries on all sides and is isolated in the region.

“The nation is at risk from outside and inside and I don’t like that. This worries me,” NDTV quoted Gandhi as saying.

“The strategic goal of India should have been to keep China and Pakistan separate. But what you have done is to bring them together. Do not underestimate what we are facing. This is a serious threat to India,” he said, adding that we made a “huge strategic mistake” in Jammu and Kashmir, possibly

The Congress MP also claimed that India didn’t have a guest for January 26 event this year because the country is “completely isolated and surrounded”.

“We are surrounded in Nepal, Afghanistan, China,” the report said quoting Gandhi, calling it “the single biggest crime against the people of India”.–(Agencies)

Cornea of her eyes damaged badly: MS SMHS; Police issues advisory, asks people to refrain from uploading picture of victim on social media platforms

Srinagar: The acid attack victim from Srinagar is unlikely to regain her eyesight, doctors treating her at the Srinagar’s Shri Maharaja Hari Singh (SMHS) hospital Srinagar Wednesday said, adding that “no conclusion can be, however, drawn at this point of time.”

Medical Superintendent of SMHS, Dr. Kanwaljeet Singh told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), the victim’s eyes have suffered damage in cornea and it cannot be stated whether she can regain her eyesight.

A 24-year-old girl was attacked with acid at Wantpora area of Hawal in Srinagar on Tuesday evening, sending shock waves across Jammu and Kashmir. The attack was widely condemned by every section of the society.

However, police on Wednesday stated that the main accused among three persons were arrested in this regard and a two-wheeler used in commission of crime has also been seized.

Police have also said that a shop, where the accused had bought the acid, has also been sealed.

Meanwhile, the victim at present is undergoing treatment at SMHS hospital as she has suffered grievous injuries on her face and eyes in the attack.

Moreover, police issued an advisory, appealing people to refrain from posting or sharing the pictures of the acid attack victim on social media platforms.

“It has come to notice that some social media users and page admin are uploading photographs of yesterdays acid attack victim on social media platforms. These people are advised to refrain from positing and sharing such content. Anybody found involved in this act will be strictly dealt under law. Police have taken cognizance of the matter,” the police advisory reads—(KNO)

Srinagar, Feb 2: Muttahida Majlis-e-Ulema (MMU) Jammu Kashmir, headed by the incarcerated Mirwaiz-e-Kashmir Dr Moulvi Muhammad Umar Farooq who continues to be under arbitrary house arrest for the last two-and-a-half years, has expressed grave concern over the deteriorating social situation in J&K, especially in the Valley.
The MMU in a statement said, “Our society as a whole is deteriorating at every level. Rising incidence of misbehaviour, rampant use of drug addiction, rising suicide rate, traumatic events of domestic violence, intolerance among children and youth, and promotion of waywardness are a matter of grave concern for every sensible and conscious citizen.”
Terming the acid attack on a girl at Osmania Colony, Wantpora, Hawal in Srinagar as extremely shameful and unfortunate; the MMU condemned the incident in strong words and demanded that those involved should be immediately brought to book and the culprit(s) should be severely punished.
The occurrence of such incidents in the Muslim-majority region, which is known as the Valley of Saints, calls for introspection for all of us, the MMU said.
The Muttahida Majlis-e-Ulema urged the leaders of religious, and educational institutions, scholars, preachers and imams, as well as members of civil society, conscious citizens to call on parents to keep an eye on children and strive for their better upbringing in order to ensure a peaceful social life and a dignified society, besides inculcating Islamic and moral values among the children so that such tragic incidents can be prevented.
The MMU underscored the need for a positive and constructive role at individual levels in bringing out a comprehensive social reform and in this regard, it has urged people to come forward to save Kashmiri society from various social problems.
In this regard, a representative meeting of the Muttahida Majlis-e-Ulema will be convened soon in which the above-mentioned issues will be considered in detail and strategies will be formulated for their prevention, the statement said.
The organisations which are part of the Muttahida Majlis-e-Ulema include Anjuman Auqaf Jama Masjid, Darul Uloom Raheemiyah , Jamaith Ahli Hadees , Mufti Azam’s Muslim Personal Law Board Anjuman-e-Shari’a Shiaan, Karwani Islami, Ittihadul Muslimeen, Darul Uloom Bilalia, Anjuman Tableegul Islam, Anjuman Himayaul Islam, Anjuman Nusratul Islam, Anjuman Mazharul Haq, Jamiat ul Aima Wa Ulema, Anjuman Imam Wa Mashaikh Kashmir, Darul Uloom Naqshbandia, Darul Uloom Rasheediya, Ahlul Bayt Foundation, Madrasa Kanz Ul Uloom, Pervaan-e-Wilayat, Auqaf Islamia, Muhammadi Trust, Anjuman Anwar ul Islam, Kaarvaan e Khatm e Naboowat and others

Srinagar: Waheed Para who is currently under UAPA detention over various allegations was found unconscious in jail on Saturday. While his jail inmates alarmed about his unconsciousness, the jail authorities took him to the Police Hospital for check up.

It was said that doctors while checking Waheed had recommended further treatment, Echo scan and follow-up check up in Super Speciality.

The family of Waheed said that, “Waheed’s health is worsening day in and day out and we are in shock to hear that he was found unconscious in a barrack by fellow detainees.”

The family of Waheed are appealing Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha for facilitating the medical check up of Waheed.

They further added, “doctors at Police Hospital had recommended Echo scan and specialist check up of Waheed. However, from two days we are waiting that he will be taken to hospital but he hasn’t been taken yet.” His family added.

Official sources told Srinagar based news agency Kashmir Dot Com (KDC) that Waheed was taken to hospital after his Blood pressure (BP) suddenly went down. “After giving medical aid Parra was discharged from hospital and was shifted back to central Srinagar,” they said.

Pertinent to mention that Para was arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on November 25, 2020, just a day after he announced his candidacy for the District Development Council elections and filed nomination papers.

In January 2021, he was granted bail by the NIA court. The special judge at the court held that “offences particularly falling under Unlawful Activities Act (UAPA) are not prima facie made out against the accused”.

The judge had said that none of the chargesheets presented before the court contained “reference of the present applicant” or referred to him as “suspected accused”.

While Waheed was stepping out of the jail, he was arrested by Jammu Kashmir Police Wing, CIK, on the same charges. His bail application was rejected twice and is jailed in Srinagar Central Jail where his condition has deteriorated as per family. (KDC)