Was resident of Karachi, had infiltrated in 2016, was active in Harwan area of city; 3 foreign militants killed in sgr within 33 days: IGP Kashmir

Srinagar, Dec 19: A foreign militant was killed in an encounter at Harwan area of Srinagar in the wee hours on Sunday, police said.

A police officer told news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that acting on a specific lead about the presence of a militant in Harwan area, police teams zeroed in on the suspected spot. “In a brief encounter, one unidentified militant was killed,” the official said.

SrinagarEncounterUpdate: 01 unidentified #militant killed. Search going on. Further details shall follow. @JmuKmrPolice,” tweeted Kashmir zone police.

Kashmir zone police also tweeted quouting IGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar that #SrinagarEncounterUpdate: Killed #militant identified as Saifulla alias Abu Khalid alias Shawaz, resident of Karachi (#Pakistan), affiliated with LeT. He infiltrated in 2016 & was active in general area of Harwan and involved in several crimes.”

In another tweet, IGP Kashmir said that “03 #Pakistani militants killed in #SrinagarCity within 33days. They were involved in several crimes including attacks on Police/SFs & civilian killings. It shows that Pakistan is hell-bent to disturb peace in Valley especially in Srinagar City.”—(KNO)

Jammu: PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday called on the youth to join the struggle for restoration of their rights “snatched” by the Centre and said non-violence, not “stones or guns”, was the way ahead.
The former chief minister also said the BJP-led government had intelligence inputs about the civilian killings by terrorists, but it deliberately refrained from cracking the whip.
“You have to understand the situation and become our voice if you do not show courage today, the coming generations will raise a question as our land, jobs and even minor minerals are going to outsiders. It is imperative for us to stand up and struggle for our rights…,” Mehbooba said at the youth convention in the border district of Rajouri.
Insisting on a peaceful struggle for the cause, Mehbooba said, God forbid, I will never ask you to pick up stones or guns. I know they have a bullet ready against those treading this path. You have to raise your voice and join us in a democratic struggle for our snatched rights.
Referring to the recent killings of civilians, including those belonging to minority communities, in the valley by terrorists, she said the government had prior intelligence inputs about the attacks but did nothing .
Those who were killed were our own people, but 900 Kashmiri youth were arrested. Another 1,000 youth were picked up when the home minister visited Jammu and Kashmir (last month). Our jails are packed and hence, those arrested are now being shifted to the Agra jail, she said.
Mehbooba said the government is coining words such as like white collared militants, OGW (over ground workers) and hybrid militants to justify the arrests and killings.
She asked the youth why the Kashmir issue, with “thousands of sacrifices over 30 years”, cannot be resolved peacefully when the farmers peacefully protesting against the three farm laws could convince the government to repeal them.
PTI

Traditional reed-mats locally known as ‘Waguw are back in business in Kashmir after a gap of 20 years.

Artisans and weavers have begun to weave traditional grass mats as demand for mats have risen in the market.

Talking to news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) Zameer Ahmed a mat weaver said, “we have started our traditional craft after a gap of 20 years.”

“With the help of assistant director of Handicrafts Irshad Ahmed it was possible to restart this project. He even provided us with many orders and demand for the mats has also begun to increase,” Zameer said.

Assistant Director Handicrafts Irshad Ahmed talking to KNO said “Wagov is considered as a languishing craft and we have added it in our Karkhandar scheme.”

“We have established a training center for it, and assigned a lady to look after it. After the skill assessment test she has been assigned as a trainer in that center after proper registration”.

“We have almost identified seven more ladies from the same area who are skilled and experienced in this craft. So we enrolled them as trainees in the center. We are going to provide Rs 14000 per month to the trainees including the logistics,” he said.

The government has also issued orders for giving a fresh impetus in the handicraft sector of the Union Territory by unveiling the ‘KARKHANDAR SCHEME,’ which is a unique concept to uplift the artisans and weavers through training.

The mat is woven from the grass harvested from the lake waters and costs approximately Rs 500 per piece. The craft involves interweaving grass and rice straws together to create a piece of flooring which provides warmth in winters.

Srinagar, DEC 17: In view of the recent attacks on Jammu and Kashmir police in the Kashmir Valley, the security forces have decided to step up the security grid across the Union Territory. The Jammu and Kashmir police have been asked to remain extra alert, while the security networks are working to counter the militant organisations.
The Jammu and Kashmir police will now be given bulletproof vehicles to move from one place to another in Kashmir Valley. The Jammu Kashmir Police has also issued new guidelines for the soldiers. The Jawans are told not to go out of their places of postings or deployment alone and unarmed.
”We are taking all the preventive measures to counter these attacks, we will be providing bulletproof vehicles to the policemen traveling from one place to another. The lighting arrangements will also be put in place. Road opening parties will stay longer at the time of movement of Police Vehicles.” said Vijay Kumar, IG Kashmir.
The Jammu and Kashmir Policemen who are off duty have been asked to remain extra vigilant. They have been told to remain extra alert while attending any social gatherings such as weddings, religious places etc.
The number of security personnel on the ground has also been increased. New bunkers have been put in place, and checkpoints at various places specially roads leading to different districts of Kashmir valley have been set up. (KINS)

Srinagar: 17 Dec, Anjuman Auqaf Jama Masjid Srinagar expressed deep regret over the continuous closure of the historic Jama Masjid Srinagar, the spiritual centre and the largest place of worship of Jammu and Kashmir, for the 19th consecutive Friday.

Condemning this ‘oppressive’ move, the Anjuman Auqaf in a statement said that like previous Fridays, the authorities and police once again today morning stopped the Auqaf employees from opening the doors of the grand mosque. “As a result, the people having come from parts of the city as well as remote areas were deprived of praying Friday prayers at the Jama Masjid, thereby preventing them from performing their religious obligations and hurting their religious sentiments.”

The Anjuman has also expressed strong resentment against the continuous incarceration of its head Mirwaiz-e-Kashmir Dr Moulvi Muhammad Umar Farooq who continues to be under ‘illegal and arbitrary house arrest since 5 August 2021 saying it is extremely unfortunate for all sections of people that their topmost religious leader is being forcibly detained and disallowed from delivering majlis e waz on Fridays at Jamia mosque .’

The Anjuman said that on 13 December, 2021, the leading religious, social and civil society organisations of Kashmir, from the platform of Jammu and Kashmir Muttahida Majlis-e-Ulema, unanimously appealed for reopening the Jama Masjid for Friday prayers and releasing the Mirwaiz-e-Kashmir, but unfortunately the administration is reluctant to do so and listen to anyone .

According to reports, on the occasion of Friday prayers in most of the mosques, khanqahs and imambarahs in the Valley today, the imams and khateebs protested against disallowing Friday prayers in the Jama Masjid Srinagar and raised their voice against it, the statement concluded.“`

Srinagar, Dec 17: The Domestic-Help that allegedly murdered an elderly woman in Lal Bazar area of Srinagar city was supplied to the house owner by an Agency without asking concerned police station to verify his credentials.

The men who run the Agency with regard to offering services of domestic-help (servant) to different house owners in Srinagar are being questioned by police and as of now, it has come to fore that the concerned Agency had not bothered to contact concerned police station and get the credentials of murder accused servant verified.

Non-local servant identified as Omprakash Sah, son of Gopal Sah of village Tatuli Gormadn of Uttarakhand State was hired by a Lal Bazar family from an Agency as domestic helper. The servant yesterday murdered 80-year-old woman Mala Foff, wife of late Ghulam Ahmad Sheikh of Behrar Lal Bazar in the house and decamped with the jewelry. But thanks to swift action from the police, the accused was arrested while on way to Jammu at Tikri with the help of concerned police station and full facilitation provided step by step in person by incumbent SDPO Zadibal Mr Shafat.

While talking to news agency Kashmir News Trust, SDPO Zadibal Mr Shafat said that from day one Jammu and Kashmir Police have advised tenants and agencies to get the credentials of occupants and servants verified from the concerned police station.

“Its very important that you get the character and record of any domestic-help or a tenant verified from local police station before you avail his or her service or allow him or her to occupy your house,” he said.

Mr Shafat in response to a question said that the agency that had supplied the accused servant to the family had not verified his credentials from local police station. “We have been questioning men from the Agency and investigation is underway,” he said and reiterated to get the credentials of the servants verified before you avail their services. (KNT)

Internet addiction a disorder, stimulates brain reward pathway, gradual withdrawal a solution: HOD Psychiatry GMC

Srinagar, Dec 16: Mobile phones, which were originally designed for communication purposes are currently being abused for a variety of ways. Playing internet games has become a frequent tendency among the kids in this digital era.

Experts believe that rather than seeing technological advancements as a blessing for improving one’s intellectual ability, young people have come to regard cell phones as nothing more than a game play gadget.

They said youth in Kashmir are spending most of their time on phones playing PUBG games which they regard as mood lifters but spending more time on social media is becoming internet addiction which is causing more harm than the momentary respite.

Dr Rizwan a social activist from south Kashmir told news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that Kashmiri kids are addicted to online games like PUBG besides spending time on fantasy sports manager application Dream 11 and in last two years on excuse of online classes they spend more time on phones.

“I have seen young kids on daily basis asking their parents to provide them Rs 50 to 100 for internet pack for online classes. But they spent the money on online games,” he said.

Rizwan said that internet addiction mainly includes playing online games which has become a threat to our society and it might damage our young generation if not addressed quickly.

Parents from different areas of Kashmir also told KNO that their children were good at studies and were using their spare time in playing outdoor games but after Covid-19 restrictions, online classes have made our children smartphone addicts.

“My son hardly goes out for outdoor games since Covid-19 lockdown last year and he spends most of his time on the phone on excuse of giving online classes and sometimes downloading material,” Haseena, a parent from Anantnag said.

“Since he started spending more time on smartphone, he has become lazy and of violent behavior, besides that he sleeps for just a few hours at night,” She said. “I always pray for the opening of schools so that offline classes will start so that the phone addiction habit will go away.”

Dr Mohammed Maqbool Head of Department (Psychiatry) at GMC Srinagar while talking with KNO said that internet addiction causes psychiatric problems as internet addiction is a disorder itself.

“There is a pathway in the brain known as the reward pathway and if we give any drug to any person, it stimulates the reward pathway and the same is the case with internet addiction,” Maqbool said.

“It is the same like if anyone wants to leave drugs there are withdrawal symptoms. Anyone who wants to leave internet addiction can suffer from symptoms like palpitation, anxiety, depression and less sleep,” he said.

“If a person is spending 10 hours on the phone, they should decrease it by 30 minutes after every two or three days, it will help the person in leaving the addiction and symptoms will be less,” Maqbool said.

Experts believe that persistent counseling, making youth aware about the ill effects of internet addiction and asking them to spend time in outdoor games can help them in leaving this addiction—(KNO)

Srinagar, Dec 16: Weatherman on Thursday forecast widespread “moderate to heavy” snowfall in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh from December 23 to 25.

There are currently reports about light snowfall in Gurez, Sonmarg, Zojila-Drass axis, said an official of the MeT office here.

“As on date, widespread moderate to heavy snowfall (at some places) is most likely during 23-25th December. We are in for a White X-Mas (Christmas ) in both J&K and Ladakh,” he said.

Meanwhile, intense cold conditions continued across J&K and Ladakh with world famous Gulmarg recording a low of minus 10.0°C.

The mercury in the world famous resort in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district was down by nearly two degrees Celsius from minus 8.6°C the previous night, the official told GNS.

The minimum temperature in Srinagar, the summer capital of J&K, settled at minus 2.1°C and against previous night’s minus 3.9°C which was the lowest temperature recorded this season.

Qazigund, the gateway town of Kashmir, had a low of minus 3.0°C against minus 4.2°C on the previous night, he said.

Pahalgam, the famous resort in south Kashmir, recorded a low of minus 6.9°C against minus 6.4°C on previous night.

Kokernag, also in south Kashmir, recorded a low of minus 3.0°C against minus 3.9°C on previous night, the official said.

Kupwara town in north Kashmir recorded a minimum of minus 4.5°C against minus 3.8°C on the previous night, the official said.

Jammu, the J&K’s winter capital, saw a low of 5.9°C which is minus 3.3°C below normal, he said.

Ladakh’s Leh had a low of minus 15.0°C against last night’s minus 11.6°C while automatic Kargil station recorded minimum of minus 12.5°C. Drass in Kargil, the second coldest place in the world after Siberia, recorded a low of minus 19.2°C, the official said. (GNS)

InPicture| Militants killed in Redwani Kulgam overnight gunfight identified as Amir Bashir resident of Yaripora and Adil Yousuf resident of Hatipora.

Kulgam, Dec 16: Two militants have been killed in an overnight encounter that broke out between security forces and militants at Redwani Bala area of South Kashmir’s Kulgam.

An official told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that two unidentified militants were killed in the gunfight, whose identification is being ascertained.

The search operation is still on in the area, they said.

The encounter started between security forces and militants at Redwani Bala area of Kulgam at around 10: 40 pm yesterday (Wednesday).

Officials said that the militants were repeatedly asked to surrender, which they turned down and fired upon forces, triggering an encounter—(KNO)