Kashmir.Watch

Blog

  • Woman attempts Suicide by self immolation in Pampore

    Husband, Father in law & Brother in law arrested

    Pampore: A young woman identified as Rafia attempted to suicide and tried to self-immolate herself after she was ruthlessly beaten by her in laws at Namblabal area of Pampore in Pulwama district on Friday. SHO Pampore Manzoor Ahmad Beigh told that about 60% of the woman’s body was affected by self-immolation attempt and was reffered to a tertiary hospital in Srinagar. SHO further said that as per preliminary reports the woman was provoked by her in-laws to carry out the sucide attempt. Meanwhile Police has registred a case against the accused and has arrested her husband Adil Ghani Lone , father in law and brother in law, police said.

  • Finally, arrests made for torching schools

    Over a dozen held for burning 7 schools in Kulgam, investigation on in other districts

    Srinagar: The police in Kulgam district have finally arrested over a dozen persons involved in the torching of seven government school buildings in the district in the last three months.The maximum number of schools (seven) were set ablaze in Kulgam district. Police officials in Kulgam said that they had made breakthrough in most of the cases and over a dozen people were arrested.“We have arrested people involved in torching seven school buildings. The arrested are anti-social and separatist elements who wanted to destroy the future of poor students whose education is dependent on government schools. The attacks have been particularly made on government schools,” said Superintendent of Police, Kulgam, Sri Dhar Patel.Patel said FIRs had been lodged in all cases. Besides the seven schools in Kulgam, four school buildings have been set ablaze in Budgam, two in Srinagar, three in Baramulla, two in Shopian, four in Anantnag and one each in Ganderbal, Pulwama and Kupwara districts.As many as 25 schools buildings have been torched in the ongoing unrest in the Valley. “Investigations are going on separately in all districts. In some cases, we have already got clues,” said Special Director General of Police, Coordination, Law and Order, S P Vaid.In almost all cases, the schools were targeted during night. The current unrest in Kashmir has affected more than 15 lakh school students. According to the Directorate of School Education Kashmir (DSEK), there are 11,766 government schools and 2,610 private schools in the Valley.

    First private school burnt in Kashmir 

    Srinagar: Miscreants set ablaze a private school in the Dooru area of Anantnag district of south Kashmir on Friday evening. The police sources said Iqra Public School at Batgund in the Dooru area of Anantnag district was set ablaze by miscreants. With this the number of schools set ablaze by miscreants during the recent weeks of current unrest has gone up to 25. This is the first private school that has become the target of the ongoing violence in Kashmir. (TNS)

  • The teacher who helped save educational hubs in 1990s

    Srinagar: Last month a hi4storic educational institution was burnt to ashes in south Kashmir’s Anantnag town in a mysterious inferno, a reminiscent of the early 1990s when an institution like Islamia College in Srinagar was gutted.Two dozen schools have been set ablaze in the Valley in the past over three months of unrest. The incidents take me to the early 1990s when colleges and schools were being set afire in Sopore town.There was a growing concern among residents in my native town, Baramulla, who feared this could also happen in their area. That was the time when militancy had just erupted and militants were holding sway as the government institutions were defunct.However, a concerned lot of teachers and academicians in Baramulla, led by Prof Showkat Ali Mir, the then Principal-in-charge of Government Degree College, Baramulla, gathered to discuss the situation and devise ways to safeguard the schools and colleges in the town. Nobody knew who were the arsonists and what were their motives but what was happening was worrisome.The paramount concern was to safeguard the educational institutions. Showkat Saheb, as he was fondly called commanded respect in the entire area. A proficient teacher of chemistry and the seniormost faculty member in the college, he had taught thousands of students, some of whom had joined militant ranks.At the meeting, it was decided to send a word to militants that schools should be safeguarded. If they sent the word that schools were required even after ‘azaadi’, it would make sense and people would come forward to save the educational hubs and arsonists would not go scot-free. The task to meet the militant commander of the area was given to late Professor Showkat.Professor Showkat embarked on the mission with his trademark wit and clarity. On the way, he met one of his students, a militant, who was reverent towards his teacher. “We could have come to your place if you wished to meet us,” the student told the professor.The professor reached the old town to meet the commander, who had set up his office in an abandoned Pandit house. Interestingly, the commander turned out to be a known figure.In a feeble voice, the professor explained the purpose of his visit. He explained the necessity of safeguarding the educational institutions and said that for ‘freedom’, the boys and girls had to study.The militant commander was equally respectful. He told the professor that they were ‘mujahids’ (holy warriors) and had embarked on the path to liberate Kashmir. “We don’t burn down schools. Why should we? But we cannot assure you of the safety to schools. This is not our domain,” he told the professor.When the professor left the meeting room, his old student was waiting outside and could sense that the meeting was not fruitful. Out of respect for the teacher, he heard him again and then promised him that they would deploy their men around academic institutions to safeguard them. The assurance was what the professor needed. The militants kept their word and the professor held his head high.Not a single educational institution in Baramulla was burnt down in the early 1990s, unlike what was happened in neighbouring Sopore.

    Protecting schools, colleges a concern

    In the early 1990s, Prof Showkat Ali Mir, the then Principal-in-charge of Government Degree College, Baramulla, approached militants in order to safeguard educational institutions in the area. He was promised by his militant student that they would deploy their men around academic institutions to safeguard them. The militant kept his promise and not a single school or college in Baramulla was burnt down in the early 1990s. Twentysix years later, there is a similar concern to safeguard educational institutions across Kashmir. (Tribune News Service)

  • People involved in arson activities identified: DGP Rajendra

    ‘Guilty will be sternly punished’

    Srinagar: In a startling revelation the Director General of Police (DGP) K Rajendra late Friday evening disclosed that people involved in burning School buildings, private vehicles and public property have been identified and a massive drive to nab the culprits has been launched.
    Talking to KNS, DGP Rajendra said Police was keeping a vigil over the incidents of arson that resulted in burning of School buildings, private vehicles and public property and have been identified. He said special teams have been constituted to nab the culprits. Those involved will soon arrested and sternly punished, he added. (KNS)

  • ‘The many questions that surround Vista Group’

    ‘MNC’s website, non-functional contacts, refunding of fee raise eye-brows’

    Srinagar: When local newspapers published advertisement of Vista Group about hundreds of jobs, unemployed youth risked their lives and came from across Kashmir despite unavailability of public transport to reach at its office at Jawahar Nagar here.

    The youths have lot of questions and ambiguity about the process, yet they rushed to the venue. Questions among aspirants arose because in the Kashmir Valley, a number of consultancies have earlier lured youth for providing jobs abroad and in India.

    An aspirant who had come from Ahmednagar in Soura for applying for a post in IT said he had submitted the form on the very next day when the advertisement was out in media.

    “I submitted the form along with a demand draft of Rs 550. I was asked then that no form will be accepted without demand draft. Even the application form says that Demand Draft is mandatory. I fulfilled all the formalities. Today morning I got a call to collect back the Demand Draft,” said the aspirant.

    But why did the group repaid the money back to the applicants when it had mentioned the submitting of draft is mandatory?

    Farhat Amin, who introduced himself as Media Manager of the Group, said that the demand draft was not collected from all the applicants.

    “Only 17 applicants had submitted the demand drafts. We could not see the applicants have submitted the drafts because of the rush and huge number of forms. We repaid the drafts today,” Amin said.

    Not only are applicants raising questions about the submission and repayment of drafts, but they are raising queries about the group itself; its website, its launch, and about its overseas offices.

    “I checked its Website where links to number of tabs do not open. Even I called the tollfree and other contact numbers the group has provided in the ad, but the numbers are not working,” said Rafiq Ahmad, an applicant.

    Amin said that the group was registered in 2008 as Vista World and it had its website under the same name. “Recently, we changed the name of the company to Vista Universe and redesigned as www.vistauniverse.com,” he said.

    When these reporters checked the website, its domain has been created on October 16 this year only which creates doubts about the credibility group that has advertised hundreds of jobs for Kashmiri youth, who are gripped in a four months long unrest.

    While Amin maintains that they are an educational consultancy, but their website claims they are all-rounders. From education, to designing to media to even matrimony, they almost deal with everything.

    Amin was not able to convince when he was asked a wide range of questions about the refunding of the money when their application form makes it mandatory to submit a Demand Draft.

    Asked was this move of repaying money to candidates a fire-fighting measure as their company has come under the scanner on social media since Thursday, he said there is nothing like that. “Actually we forgot to tell the people earlier that there was no need of paying money by Demand Drafts during submitting the forms,” he said.

    Amin said the company has been started in 2008 and has been working in different countries, but the in-depth details of the website reveal that its domain has been purchased on October 3 this year and the domain has been created on 03-oct-2016. And the land line number the company provides in Srinagar has also been registered this month only.

    Besides this, most of the sub tabs of the website are not functioning and other categories of the website are under maintenance. The website in no way gives the impression that it is of any multi-national company, but their office here in Srinagar gives a feel of any big company.

    Meanwhile, sources in the government said that the administration has taken cognizance of the process and have been closely watching it.

    Interestingly some MLAs have given recommendation letters to the aspirants seeking the jobs. Many aspirants showed their forms who had recommendation letters from senior MLAs.

    What is Vista group?

    Vista group claims to be a multinational company operating since 2008 in Gurgoan and Singapore and have now opened its office in Srinagar at a time when there is no such future for such companies given the prevailing turmoil. Vista group is registered with the ministry of corporate affairs under DIN number: 07433936, CIN number: 035100HR2008PTC037918, U92400HR2016PTC058656, U74900HR2016PTC058678, 045209HR2016PTC063749, U92400HR2016PTC063985. (These details were provided by the Vista Group at its office in Jawaharnagar). The name of the actual company that has been registered with the government is Vista Infra group Holding Private Limited and not the “Vista Universe” for which the recruitment process is being conducted.

    The company is owned by someone who has given his name as Andy Baig, a Kashmiri hailing from Rawalpora area of Srinagar who has studied abroad. He has changed his name to Andy Baig as it was easy for foreigners to pronounce it.

    Though a large number of youth has applied but there is a lot of ambiguity about the group. (PTK)

  • Woman shot dead in Pulwama village

    Srinagar: Unidentified gunmen on Friday evening shot dead a woman in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district.

    Reports said that gunmen barged into the house of Zaiba Bano, 35, wife of Muhammad Yousuf, in Nayna village and opened fire at her.

    She was shifted to a Sub-district hospital Bijbehara where she was declared dead on arrival.

  • Hurriyat (G) Concerned About Burning Of Schools & buildings

    Srinagar: All Parties Hurriyat Conference is once again concerned and worried about the continuous and widespread incidents of burning of buildings especially schools. Hurriyat said that those involved in such acts can never be the well wishers of the society not to talk of the movement and these acts are purposely used to malign the movement as authorities and the puppet regime has miserably failed after using every tool in their armory to curb this movement. Hurriyat is surprised on the reports of some youth indulging in supports activities outside state. Hurriyat said that we don’t believe in poking our nose in other’s issues but presently the whole nation is unanimously and willfully on protest for the last four months and our wicked and cunning oppressor is using such events to create confusion and chaos. Hurriyat has appealed the youth to refrain from such activities.

  • Crime Branch nabs Inter State Cyber criminals

    Srinagar: Crime Branch, Jammu on Friday claimed to have arrested gang of interstate cyber criminals and have succeeded in recovering an amount of Rs. 11,02,880/- from them, which was looted from the complainant fraudulently.
    According to the statement issued to Kashmir Today Crime Branch said that they were working on awritten complaint lodged by Sh. Arun Bandral S/o Parladh Singh R/o Ward No. 4 near New Bus Stand, Samba wherein he had alleged that he submitted his resume in Naukri.com upon which he received a call from Expert Noukri Services (Sonstant Company) named Ashish who offered him a job in a multinational company in India/Abroad and also gave his account number and asked him to deposit Rs. 2500/- and then send the deposit slip on company Email [email protected].
    “The said Ashish again called him and ask to deposit Rs. 6,500/- as verification fee, Rs. 16,800/- as job security fee etc. and after few days the complainant received a call from one Aryan who told him that he has been selected in TATA Project Company but has to deposit Rs. 25,400/- in the company A/c for the interview,” the statement reads.
    They said that after few days again he received a call from Aryan who again asked to deposit Rs. 27,890/- on the pretext of qualifying the first round of interview and similarly a total sum of Rs. 4,21,280/- was deposited by the complainant from time to time after which he received an offer letter and subsequently an unknown person came to his residence and took photographs of his house and family members on the pretext of his verification and thereafter he again received a call from Ayran that since he has been selected for the TATA Project in Abroad therefore he has to further deposit Rs. 4.00 lac within shortest possible which the complainant deposited. He again received a call from one Varun Tyagi who demanded Rs. 88,000/- which the complainant deposited and was told that he will join the company in mid of January 2015, but after few days Aryan again asked the complainant to deposit Rs. 5.15 lac as the joining letter has to signed by the CEO of TATA Project which were also deposited in the A/c of Gourav Tyagi but even after waiting for considerable period of time and depositing Rs. 15, 92,380/- in the A/c numbers provided by the accused persons from time to time neither the job was provided to him nor his money was returned etc.
    Crime Branch said that on the receipt of this complaint an enquiry was conducted and during the course of enquiry it was revealed that the accused had used various mobile numbers and account numbers as they, in furtherance of a criminal conspiracy and using fake names had allured and cheated the complainant on the pretext of providing him a job and in the process had duped him of his hard earned money amounting to Rs.15,92,380/-solely in order to cause wrongful gains to themselves and wrongful loss to the complainant.
    Accordingly, a formal case was registered at Police Station Crime Branch, Jammu and the same was entrusted to Inspr. Kewal Kishore Gupta, who during the course of investigation identified the accused persons as Prateek Sharma S/o Naresh Kumar Sharma R/o Ghaziabad, Gourav Tyagi S/o Late Dinesh Tyagi R/o Noida, Mani Masih Gill S/o Jacob Masih R/o Ghaziabad and Sandeep Bhati S/o Bhagat Lala Bhati R/o Ghaziabad and after putting in hard out efforts under the supervision of Sh. Mubassir Latifi, SSP Crime Branch, Jammu succeeded in arresting all of them from Ghaziabad, U.P. Later, on the revelations made by the accused persons an amount of Rs. 11,02,880/- was recovered from three of them. However, the investigation of the case is still under progress for the purpose of recovery of the pending amount and to ascertain the involvement of some more persons in the instant case. 

  • GoI indulging in half hearted measures to diffuse prevailing situation in Kashmir: Monga

    Accuses Center of turning blind eye towards happenings in Kashmir

    Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) vice president and MLC G N Monga today accused that BJP led Government of India was indulging in half hearted measures to diffuse the prevailing situation in the Valley.
    In a statement issued to KNS, he said, “Half hearted measures initiated by Narendra Modi led Government won’t work. What is stopping the BJP government from holding talks with all stakeholders in Kashmir as the same is mentioned in the ‘Agenda of Alliance’ signed between PDP and BJP at the time of forming the coalition government in J&K.”
    The Congress leader accused the Center of turning blind eye towards the happenings in Kashmir. “It seems the ‘Agenda of Alliance’ is limited to only papers and on ground nothing like that exists. Otherwise it has been almost four months since unrest started in Kashmir and both Center and State governments are in slumber,” he said.
    “It (New Delhi) is indulging in half hearted measures in Kashmir and has turned all its focus towards UP Assembly elections. At a time when integral part of the country is going through most difficult time, the silence maintained by the Centre is unfortunate. What is stopping Narendra Modi led government fromdefusing the situation in Kashmir is questionable?” Monga asked.
    He said that people in Kashmir were suffering immensely for the last 112-days due to continuous strike, curfew and violence. “Every sphere of life has been badly hit by the unrest. While education sector has been the worst victim, the transporters, businessmen, people associated with tourism and other sectors are in deep crisis,” he said.
    While appreciating the steps taken by Congress high command to diffuse the unrest in Kashmir in 2010 the Congress leader said, “In 2010 then PM Dr Manmohan Singh, Congress President Madam Sonia Gandhiji and Vice President Rahul Gandhji took personal interest to diffuse the crisis in Kashmir. Even this time also it was Congress Leader of Opposition in Rajjya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad sahib who made tireless efforts to push the Center to send an all party delegation to Kashmir. However, the incumbent Center government is least bothered about the happenings in Kashmir,” he said. (KNS)

  • Burning of schools a grave concern: KCSDS

    ‘Fails to understand why govt want to conduct exams’

    Srinagar: Kashmir Centre for Social and Development Studies (KCSDS) on Friday expressed anguish and concern over the burning of school buildings in the valley in which 25 schools have already been reduced to ashes.
    In a statement issued to KSN, KCSDS said that it warns all those elements whether agents or social miscreants who are involved in these mysterious dastardly acts of far reaching consequences, to desist from the shameful criminal acts.
    “As if brutal killings, blinding and maiming , destroy operations of crops and homes and mass arrests were not enough that the educational institutions responsible for enlightening , edifying and civilising young generation have to be burnt down to erase the foundations of enlightening and nurturing the young minds,” the statement reads.
    The statement further added that it is a recipe for the complete devastation of the young generation. The govt must depoliticise the opening of schools and conducting of exams. It must listen to the voice of students in massive protest demonstrations against holding of exams in November. One fails to understand why is govt hell-bent on conducting exams when the students have studied nothing in schools for four months till now.
    “Why is govt determined to prove that it has declared a war against the young generation in particular and is not going to budge an inch from the announced dates. Heavens are not going to fall if exams are conducted from first March and BOSE to expedite the evaluation of papers and the declaration of results without wasting much time. Because even if govt insists on holding of exams in November students cannot resume their next academic year before March- April. On the one hand state govt says it is there for the service of the people and on the other leaves no stone unturned to oppress, terrorize, coerce and tyrannize our young generation.”
    The statement said,“On the one hand govt says it is there only for governance and on the other it is fighting people on behalf of the Indian state and tries to ‘normalise the situation’ by conducting exams. The young generation who need more care and consideration than any other section of population is being victimised on all fronts. So the first step for the govt to take must be to make a retreat from the announced dates for exams .Second step should be to identify and deal sternly with those who are behind the mysterious burnings. Third, the localities and the neighbourhoods in which schools are situated should take initiatives to protect the schools from being vandalised or burnt as these are invaluable public assets for our children. The task can be undertaken by Mohalla committees or Masjid committees.” (KNS)