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Kathua, Nov 22: A man killed his younger brother and his wife over ‘land dispute’ in village Marheen, here today.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Kathua Ramesh Kotwal told Kashmir News Apex-(KNA) said a man identified as Raj Kumar, son of late Bhagat Ram of Chak Wazir Labzoo, Marheen murdered his younger brother namely Naresh Kumar, 32 and his wife Asha, 24 at their residence in tehsil Marheen.

After receiving the information, a team headed by SDPO Border Pankaj Soodan alongwith SHO Rajbagh and Incharge Police Post Marheen rushed to the spot and found double murder by the accused, SSP said, adding that a case FIR Number 232/2022 under section 302 IPC was registered at Police Station Rajbagh and hunt was launched to nab the murderer, who managed to escape from the spot.

The FSL team collected the samples and all legal formalities are completed, SSP said, adding, the accused has been arrested and the weapon of offence (sharp weapons) has also been seized. Land disputed is stated to b the cause of brutal crime, SSP Ramesh Kotwal said.

Bodies have been taken into custody and shifted for post-mortem at GMC Kathua

Further investigation into the case is going on. he added (KNA)

524 left follow up; 1262 patients have died so far; being a tourist destination, J&K at greater risk of HIVAIDS, say Officials

Srinagar, Nov 21: The cases of HIV AIDS are increasing with each passing year as 5,896 patients have been tested HIV positive in J-K so far.

Officials told news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that so far 1,362 HIV positive patients have died while 3,313 patients are alive on Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART) while 524 patients have left follow-up.

They said that because of social stigma, people aren’t coming forward for the HIV tests and over the years the number of patients infected by HIV has shown a rising trend.

According to the Jammu and Kashmir Aids Control Society (JKACS) data, a copy of which is in possession with KNO till October 2022, total number of PLHIV registered with HIV care has reached to 5,896 and among them 1,332 have died, 524 have left follow up and 3313 are alive on ART.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is a chronic, potentially life-threatening condition caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). By damaging your immune system, HIV interferes with your body’s ability to fight infection and disease.

HIV is a sexually transmitted infection (STI). It can also be spread by contact with infected blood or from mother to child during pregnancy, childbirth or breast-feeding, multi person usage of needles. Without medication, it may take years before HIV weakens your immune system to the point that you have AIDS.

Officials said that a person suffering from AIDS is unfortunately often regarded as a stigma in the society and such people often become victims of ostracism, rejection and discrimination.

They said that J-K is at a greater risk of HIV AIDS because of being a tourist destination as tourists across the world visit J-K.

They added that most of the patients who have been tested positive for HIV AIDS in J-K have contracted the disease from outside J-K.

“Drug addicts are at higher risk of contracting HIV/AIDS and if they are married or are sexually active, they transmit this to their partners as well,” they said.

Notably the first HIV positive case in Kashmir was detected in 1986, a Kashmiri businessman who had gone to Germany and possibly contracted the infection—(KNO)

Jammu: National Conference President Dr Farooq Abdullah on Sunday addressed a party convention in Samba where he said the ruling dispensation misled the people across the country that the abrogation of Articles 370, 35-A will bring radicalism in J&K to a close. “Has it happened? The situation on ground narrates a different story contrary to what was being claimed. There is no visible sign of things getting better in J&K. Targeted killings of non-locals, Kashmiri Pandits, local Muslims, Cops have brought back the horror of the 90’s. Mass migration of Pandits, who had stayed back in Kashmir over the past thirty years is another reality of the post abrogation chapter unfolded by ruling BJP in Kashmir. Today Kashmir is marked by uncertainty. Families of those killed in targeted killings in Kashmir are demanding answers from the government but there is little explanation from the powers that be,” he said.
He added, “Why has unemployment soared in Jammu and Kashmir? Didn’t BJP promise 50,000 jobs for our youth when they were banging the drum for articles 370, 35-A abrogation. Where are those jobs? Why are our educated, skilled and talented youth on the roads?”
“Unending job search has taken a toll on the mental health of our promising youth in Jammu, Pir Panjal and Chenab. Now, since outsiders are eligible for jobs here, the employment prospects of our sons and daughters have dwindled further. Even the local sand and mining contracts are going to outsiders. The plight of local marginal wholesalers and traders is no different. Many employees have been dropped out of the workforce in Central power, tunnel building projects. Our local businesses in Jammu are on the verge of closing down, our traders are facing penury. Our youth see no light at the end of the tunnel,” he said.
He said that the people of Jammu will never allow BJP to destroy the region’s secular fabric. “All the promises of BJP have been drawn blank. Now they will resort to polarising the people. However people across JK have made it a point not to fall into their trap. They won’t be able to divide our hearts, it is the people of Jammu, who will destroy them through the use of ballot,” he added.

Two kids were charred to death in a midnight blaze in Divar Lolab #Kupwara

One accused namely Umer Farooq S/o Farooq Ahmed R/o Pamposh Colony, Srinagar arrested for murdering his Sister-in-law( elder Bhabi). Weapon of offence also recovered on his disclosure in front of magistrate. Case registered in safakadal PS under relevant sections of murder: Srinagar Police

Police arrests accused, starts investigation

Srinagar, Nov 20: A woman has been allegedly killed by in laws in Palpora area of Srinagar on Sunday.

Relatives of the lady told news wire Kashmir News Apex-(KNA) that Lady identified as Maimoona who was from Kanipora and married in Palpora Srinagar has been killed by in laws.

They alleged that she was killed by brother in law’s son with axe.

They added that she has only ailing father and brother at her paternal home and has visited to Palpora on Friday only after 15 days.

They said Lady was married two years back and was mother of little girl.

They said that her husband at work when incident has taken place and have demanded action in this regard.

Meanwhile police has arrested accused and started investigation in this regard. (KNA)

‘Major chunk of patients relapsed due to non-adherence to medications’, ‘more than 94 percent drug addicts use heroin’

Srinagar, Nov 19: Intravenous opioid use has surged among young population in Kashmir during Covid-19 with many patients having relapsed due to non-adherence to medications during the two years of pandemic, a study conducted by a Post Graduate Resident Department of Psychiatry (IMHANS) GMC Srinagar along with three other doctors has revealed.

The study conducted to find the various sociodemographic variables of substance use disorder among patients and to study the change in the pattern of substance use disorder has showed that percentage of intravenous opioid use has increased tremendously and that major chunk of patients also relapsed due to non-adherence to medications during Covid-19 when most of the drug de addiction centres were closed.

“The COVID-19 pandemic and the various SOP measures have adversely affected substance use patterns adversely. Disruptions in health services and various treatment plans of people who consume substances were seen in many parts of the world,” one among the doctors who conducted the study, told news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO).

He said that the lockdown and restrictions during the pandemic could not affect drug trafficking.

The curbs implemented to contain the Covid, according to the doctor, triggered social isolation, frustration, boredom, stress and panic among people

“To counter these emotions many people indulged into and relapsed back and started taking drugs again. This negative coping has led to immense increase in substance use in various populations,” he said.

The doctor said that study reflects that people belonging to the age group 21-30 years are mostly using substances, specifically opioids and the percentage of people affected was significantly higher in this study (64.5%) as compared to the study conducted earlier (50.5%).

“This finding would reflect the frustration and free time this age group experienced due to the confinement in homes and closure of various recreational facilities as this group in the most active and outgoing age group) In the study, rural and urban population constituted 68.60% and 31.40% respectively. “This is because our hospital is a government hospital which is preferred by the rural population as compared to the affluent urban population who mostly visit private facilities due to the stigma associated with substance use disorder),” he added.

“The closure of various educational institutions and change in the delivery of education services such as online classes led to build up of tension and anxiety in young students besides that the lack of technical knowledge and excessive screen time spent in view of online classes has fuelled up the anxiety and stress among students. Likewise, people belonging to the economic sector, especially the self-employed, faced huge economic setbacks due to closure of various business establishments and start ups and it is seen that people with substance use disorder develop increased severity when faced with unemployment or financial crisis,” the doctor said.

Heroin was the most commonly used opioid (94.12%) compared to pharmaceutical opioids (5.88%). In contrast to a study conducted earlier, in which heroin was 84.33% and pharmaceutical opioids was 24.33%, he said.

He explained it by saying the resilience of the opioid market to various pandemic measures but pharmaceutical opioids were restricted.

In the study, the most common route of administration of drugs was intravenous 79.42% in contrast to studies conducted earlier where percentage of intravenous users is 7.91% and 51.53%) and it reflects that the shortage of resources to procure the substance leading to a switch from oral/chasing to intravenous route as the amount required for the same effect is quite low when opioids are used intravenously, he added.

“The percentage of patients having positive serology was also greater. This could be explained by increase seen in reusing of needles due to lack to procure fresh needles and also increasing frequency of injecting in people with substance using behaviour and the percentage of patients who had sought treatment in the past was about 38.31% in comparison to only 13% and 11% of patients as per studies conducted earlier and this finding would be due to increased relapse during the pandemic as the various treatment facilities were shut down,” he added.

The IMHANS de-addiction center where the study was conducted was the only centre in the valley that continued providing services both IPD and OPD to substance users during COVID times.

The need to continue services was felt by the IMHANS department because drug addiction was a parallel epidemic in Kashmir with more mortality and morbidity rate compared to Covid—(KNO)

Srinagar, Nov 19 : The authorities have declared a batch of Nestle Milkmaid as sub-standard and unsafe for use in the Kashmir Valley after its sample was lifted and tested.

Talking to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), deputy commissioner Food Safety Kashmir, Shagoofa Jalal said a particular batch of Nestle Milkmaid has been declared sub-standard and unsafe after its sample was lifted in the month of September.

She said during sampling it was found to be sub-standard and unsafe for use by Food Analyst National Food Laboratory Gaziabad.

“A particular batch has been declared unsafe not all the Nestle Milkmaid products. The batch of Milkmaid which has been declared unsafe includes batch no. 00520451ZA while rest all batches are safe,” she said.

She added people are advised not to use products of this particular batch only and need not to panic as rest of the batches were safe—(KNO)

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Says won’t contest party elections slated for Dec 05; in 1996, there was no party except NC, Employed Rehabr-e-Taleem, 300 doctors; ready to face Assembly polls, want peaceful J&K, better relations with Delhi

Jammu, Nov 19: National Conference president Dr Farooq Abdullah said on Saturday that he will contest the Assembly elections whenever they are held but won’t fight party polls slated for December 05.

“J&K is a place of rumours and that’s nothing new. I will contest Assembly polls for sure whenever they are held. I won’t fight the NC elections for choosing the party chief on December 05. Delegates will choose the new party president,” Dr Farooq told reporters in Jammu, as per news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO).

He said that in 1996 there was no other party than NC. “It was the NC that employed teachers under Rehbar-e-Taleem and 300 doctors were appointed,” he said. Senior Abdullah said NC’s strategy for Assembly polls is ready and the party is fully geared up to face the elections. He said NC wants peaceful J&K and better relations with New Delhi.

Dr Farooq’s assertions comes a day after political grapevine was ripe with the rumours that he has decided to end his political career and won’t neither contest party polls nor Assembly polls—(KNO)