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Srinagar, Jan 06: A minor girl was allegedly harassed by a fair shop dealer in Sumbal area of North Kashmir Bandipora district.

Official sources told news agency Kashmir Scroll that police Post Nowgam received an application from the father of minor girl that she had gone for fingerprint formalities at the house of Fair Prince Shop Dealer in Sumbal area.

He alleged that the said person took the advantage and allegedly sexually assaulted her.

Meanwhile police have taken cognizance and in this connection, case FIR No. 03/2024 U/S POCSO Act has been registered in Police station Sumbal.

A senior police officer told news agency Kashmir Scroll said that the accused has been held and further investigation has been taken up.(KS)

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Srinagar, Jan 05: Jammu and Kashmir Police along with security forces have killed one Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) militant in an anti-militancy operation in South Kashmir’s Shopian District this morning.

In a statement issued, a police spokesman said that acting on specific information regarding presence of terrorist in village Chotigam area of Shopian, a joint cordon and search operation was launched in the wee hours by Police, Army (34RR) and CRPF (178Bn) in the said area.

He said, during the search operation, as the joint party approached towards the suspected spot, the hiding terrorist fired indiscriminately upon the joint search party, which was retaliated effectively, leading to an encounter.

In the ensuing encounter, 01 terrorist was killed and his body was retrieved from the site of encounter. He has been identified as Bilal Ahmed Bhat son of Ghulam Rasool Bhat resident of Chek Cholan, affiliated with proscribed terror outfit LeT, he said.

As per police records the killed terrorist was involved in several terror crime cases including killing of local army personnel namely Umer Fayaz son of Fayaz Ahmad Parray resident of Sudsan Kulgam, hurled grenade upon non-local labours in Hermain, resulting in on spot death of two labourers. He was also involved in killing of Kashmiri pandith namely Sunil Kumar Bhat son of Sri G Bhat & injuring other Kashmiri pandit Pretimber Nath son of Arjun Nath Bhat, both residents of Chotigam Shopian. He was also involved in attack on local Bal Krishan @Sonu resident of Chotigam. Moreover, he was involved in instigating local youth to join terrorist ranks and induced 12 local youth into the ranks of terrorists. Besides other terror crimes, he was also involved in killing of arrested terrorist who was leading the search party during a CASO at Nowgam in the year 2022.

Incriminating materials, arms & ammunition including 01 AK series rifle, 03 magazines were recovered from the site of encounter. All the recovered materials have been taken into case records for further investigation and to probe their complicity in other terror crimes.

In this regard, Police have registered a case under relevant sections of law and investigation has been initiated. People are requested to cooperate with police till the area is completely sanitized and cleared off of all the explosive materials, if any, the spokesman added.

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Srinagar, Jan 5: The Anjuman Auqaf Jama Masjid Srinagar has termed it unjustified that the Mirwaiz-e-Kashmir Dr Moulvi Muhammad Umar Farooq has been disallowed to offer Friday prayers for consecutive 13 weeks, saying he is not allowed to offer and lead important religious duties as Friday prayer at the historic Jama Masjid.

The Anjuman in a statement said the administration is also not providing any genuine reason for such restrictions on Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, due to which the Minbar-o-Mihraab of the historic central grand mosque remains silent.

Such undue curbs on the movement and activities of Mirwaiz-e-Kashmir are tantamount to interference in religious affairs and hurt the emotions and sentiments of the people of the valley, especially the devotees who throng the Jama Masjid Srinagar on Fridays to listen to the sermon of their beloved leader.

Such behaviour of the government is not only sad in every sense but also smacks of its vindictive policy, the statement said.

Meanwhile, Anjuman Auqaf has termed the drought-like situation in the valley as extremely alarming, saying the lack of rain and snow in this season is a matter of concern not only for those associated with the agriculture sector but also for the common man. It said there are even fears of the spreading of various diseases due to the drought.

In this situation, the Auqaf has appealed to all imams of masjids, scholars, heads of religious institutions and the general public to organize ‘Namaz-e-Istisqa’ and pray to Almighty Allah at individual and collective levels for rain and respite from the harsh weather.

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His life exemplified the virtues he imparted, leaving an enduring impression on those who had the privilege of knowing him

“A person who is not thankful towards people can never be thankful towards the almighty.” – Prophet Mohammad (PBUH)

It makes me sad that since the time I was placed under house arrest — and my Wa’az-o-Tableegh was proscribed — in August 2019 under the new dispensation in Kashmir, I was not able to meet Mahad Sahab. He too was extremely anguished by this and would speak with me on the phone.

Written by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq

Ghulam Mohiuddin Wani, also known as Mahad Sahab, passed away in Srinagar on December 17. He shaped my spiritual path at one of the most crucial and critical junctures of my life. I need to acknowledge him in the most generous way possible for, besides being my teacher, mentor and guide in religious matters, he epitomised the finest confluence of Islamic belief and spiritual practice, moderation and a deep sense of responsibility towards traditions and culture.
It was not easy for me to inherit the mantle of the Mirwaiz (chief cleric) when my father Mirwaiz Maulvi Mohammad Farooq attained martyrdom in 1990. I was a playful 17-year-old schoolboy. In a situation when we were bereft and grieving, I was suddenly enjoined to take over the responsibility of carrying forward the hallowed religious obligation of upholding the mission of the Mirwaizeen-e-Kashmir. The institution of the Mirwaiz is unique to Kashmir. In an unbroken tradition of over a century now, the revered pulpit has been guiding believers. It was a journey that demanded of me an overnight transformation from being a teenager to ascending the esteemed pulpit of Jamia Masjid, the historic mosque located in the heart of Srinagar city.
That was when Mahad Sahab stepped in and contributed immensely towards making that transition smooth. Being a close associate of my father and a committed adherent of the Mirwaiz family’s religious legacy, he volunteered his services to mentor me. He held me by the hand and hoisted me up the ladder to the Mirwaiz’s pulpit. A self-taught man, Mahad Sahab was a devout businessman. When it came to matters of faith and practice, he was unique in many ways. Although he belonged to the more orthodox Salafi school of thought (Ahl-e-hadees), he was of a Sufi temperament, dedicated to understanding the teachings of Islam as a means to get close to Allah with humility and gratefulness.
He possessed great reverence for Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jeelani, Khwaja Bahauddin Naqshbandi and other Sufi peers. He would guide me in compiling a Wa’az (sermon) for the special occasion of the urs of the Sufi peers and would make it a point to participate in the congregation. I would observe him engrossed in the Wa’az, which he had helped to compile with great attention and devotion. Later, he would tell me, “I experience a very different feeling when you are at the mimbar (pulpit) and recite from the bayaz (teachings)”.
Immediately after my father’s death, my first sermon at Jamia Masjid from the teachings of Mirwaiz Ahmadullah, was in Kashmiri. Although I could speak the language, I was not fluent in writing or reading it. Mahad Sahab ensured I was introduced to verses written by Kashmir’s leading saint, Sheikh-ul-Alam also known as Sheikh Nooruddin Wali. This became an entry point for me into the Kashmiri language. It was followed by an introduction to Persian, especially the writings of Jami, Khusrau and Rumi.
Being a Mirwaiz requires special learning that no ordinary school or university can impart. The clerical tradition adopted the unique form of Wa’az-o-Tableegh (propagation through sermons) to educate people and bring the teachings of Islam to them. The distinctiveness was in the fact that it was completely based on the oral conventions of listening, repetition and absorption. This system continues without any distortion. A Wa’az puts special emphasis on the life of the Prophet (PBUH) and is suffused with reverence, devotion, love and praise for him. It also delves into the role and significance of the pious and learned saints and scholars of Islam. The language traditionally has been Kashmiri and Persian, recited at specific moments during the Wa’az, giving a unique structure to the recitations.
As I embarked on this extraordinary journey of becoming a Mirwaiz, an intense period of initiation and education came from Mahad Sahab. He introduced me to this knowledge system with its etiquette and nuances. The qutab khana (library) at the Mirwaiz Manzil is home to a rich collection of manuscripts, some of which are over 400 years old. These manuscripts and bayaz are a treasure of Islamic learning and calligraphy. Mahad Sahab was well-versed in these and cherished and valued them. I would be deeply impressed by his knowledge and understanding as he traversed through the manuscripts of Mirwaiz Rasool Shah, Mirwaiz Ahmadullah or Mirwaiz Atiqullah and steered me through them. He would emphasise that moderation and balance were the key messages that came through the religious practice and teachings of the Mirwaizeen. He would guide me through these ancient manuscripts and prepare my sermons for the contemporary congregation. He was among the few people who knew the oral tradition of passing on the local knowledge, known as Seena ba Seena.
It was through a process of osmosis, through oral repetition and listening, that he had imbibed the institution, its methodology and structure. It was through the same process that he transferred the knowledge system to me. We would have a learning session every day before he would begin his day at his shop. His gift of the repertoire of Manajaat, Na’at and Manqabat in Kashmiri, Persian and Arabic opened up a new world for me.
It makes me sad that since the time I was placed under house arrest — and my Wa’az-o-Tableegh was proscribed — in August 2019 under the new dispensation in Kashmir, I was not able to meet Mahad Sahab. He too was extremely anguished by this and would speak with me on the phone. Now, with his death, the precious 33 years of association have come to an end. His life exemplified the virtues he imparted, leaving an enduring impression on those who had the privilege of knowing him.

And I have lost my guiding light.

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Srinagar, Jan 03: The fuel stations across Jammu & Kashmir resumed the operations normally after the transporters decided to call off strike following the government’s assurances.

Earlier on Tuesday, the people were seen queuing up at almost all the fuel stations, waiting to get the fuel in cans, bottles and other things as the transporters had called for a strike in wake of the ‘new penal law’.

In the late evening hours, the transporters called off their strike after holding a meeting with the government, assuring them that they will be taken on board before implementing the new law.

However, according to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), all the fuel stations resumed their operations normally today while a rush of commuters continued to be witnessed there throughout the day.

“It took me almost half an hour to get the petrol at fuel station near Munawarabad here as the rush of vehicles remained high,” one of the commuters said, adding that unlike yesterday, the fuel was available at all the fuel stations—(KNO)

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’50 per cent dip in reservations despite slashed rates’

Srinagar, Jan 01: Umrah tour operators in Kashmir are grappling with subdued response this season with heavy slump in the bookings.

As per news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), this is despite the fact that the rate of Umrah package this year is comparatively Rs 10,000 low compared to the previous year.

Umrah is an Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca that can be undertaken any time of the year.

Typically, the Umrah season, i,e from December to March, in Kashmir sees a surge in bookings and enthusiasm as devout Muslims embark on a spiritual journey to the holy cities of Mecca and Medina. However, this year has proven to be an exception, with tour operators facing unexpected challenges that have resulted in a substantial decline in the number of pilgrims.

As per the Umrah tour operators of Kashmir, very few people have turned to book Umrah packages this season.

“We would often get bookings for Umrah starting in October. It is December and we receive very few people who opt for Umrah. From Srinagar, we receive very few pilgrims compared to the rest of the valley,” president Jammu and Kashmir Association of Hajj Umrah Companies, Sheikh Feroz told KNO.

He said they witnessed a notable 50% decrease in the flow of pilgrims compared to the previous year.

“We anticipate the overall flow of pilgrims this season will be almost 50 percent less compared to last year. This year, we have bookings to some extent in January but it is too low in February. We didn’t have enough advance bookings,” Feroz said.

He said the flow of pilgrims last year was satisfactory as the rush was the highest since Covid-19.

“Umrah services were affected during the pandemic. Last year, there were no restrictions and the flow of pilgrims was huge. We are still hopeful that booking may improve in February and March,” Feroz said.

Lateef Ahmad, an Umrah tour operator, said they have slashed the prices of Umrah this year to attract more pilgrims.

“Still the flow is not up to the mark. Post covid-19 Kashmir saw a good hike in the number of pilgrims performing Umrah. This year, it seems people are financially stressed due to which the flow is very low,” he said.

Pertinently, a total of 18 lakh Indian Muslims performed Umrah in 2023 — the third highest in the world, Saudi Arabia government officials earlier said—(KNO)

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Srinagar: In a breathtaking spectacle of lights, music, and cultural fervor, the Kashmir Valley welcomed the New Year with unprecedented celebrations that left both locals and tourists mesmerized. The credit for the grand success of the festivities goes to the meticulous arrangements made by the Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Department, which went above and beyond to ensure a memorable start to 2024.

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New Delhi : India’s Home Minister @AmitShah announces banning of Kashmiri Separatist outfit of Syed Ali Shah Geelani – Tehreek e Hurriyat. The ‘Tehreek-e-Hurriyat, J&K (TeH) has been declared an ‘Unlawful Association’ under UAPA.The outfit is involved in forbidden activities to separate J&K from India and establish Islamic rule. The group is found spreading anti-India propaganda and continuing terror activities to fuel secessionism in J&K.

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