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  • Article: Suicides Rates Surges Accross Valley

    By: Tariq Ahmad Lone

    The suicide rate across India is 10.3 per 100,000. In the last three decades, the suicide rate has increased by 43% but the male female ratio has been stable at 1.4 : 1. Majority (71%) of suicide in India are by persons below the age of 44 years which imposes a huge social, emotional and economic burden.

    Suicide is an important issue in the Indian context. More than one lakh (one hundred thousand) lives are lost every year to suicide in our country

    Same Cases of suicide and unsuccessful attempts at ending one’s own life are increased in Kashmir.The number of suicide cases has gone up in Kashmir valley at an alarming level during the past one decade. A person commits suicide when he or she reaches the extreme condition of hopelessness.The increased incidence of suicide attempts, particularly among the Kashmiri youth, has become a serious concern for the people.The suicider not only ends his life but also gives pain to his family well as relatives.

    Suicides in our valley is continuously taking toll of hundreds in every year.This worst form of evil has snatched many lives. It also effect on families as well as relatives and left them in shock forever and they become paralyzed. Poisoning, hanging and self-immolation were the common methods used to commit suicide

    Committing suicide is a horrible and tragic end of life.That is why its haram-prohibited and biggest sin in Islam.

    Increasing number of suicides is an alarming situation in Kashmir valley and a matter of concern these days. It is a social evil and threat to mankind and humanity itself as a whole Although suicide is a deeply personal and an individual act, suicidal behaviour is determined by a number of individual and social factors. Ever since Esquirol wrote that “All those who committed suicide are insane”.

    Research in the area of suicide has become critical in recent years. Suicide and its related issues have become a major concern for global health educators. Suicide is a major public health threat and the World Health This study was conducted with the aim to understand the prevalence of suicide ideation and suicide attempts among Kashmiri youth. Nearly 24,000 men and women, mostly young, have attempted suicide in the last 17 years in Kashmir.The number of suicide deaths is on a rise in Kashmir and this issue really needs to be addressed and as per the data the age of people committing suicide is between 15 to 30.

    Reasons:

    Parental pressure, tough competition in studies and career, turmoil, modernization, unemployment, business failures, Divorce, Anxiety, dowry, love affairs,Physical and mental illness, disturbed interpersonal relationships, economic difficulties,huge debt burden, unhappy marriages, harassment by in-laws and husbands, dowry disputes, depression, chronic physical illness, alcoholism/drug addiction, cancellation or the inability to get married (because of marriage system in kashmir)and such conflicts relating to the issue of marriage, illegitimate pregnancy, Drug abuse, like anti-depressants, b extra-marital affairs, lack of moral and religious education play a crucial role, particularly in the suicide of Youths in Kashmir and these are the main reasons for suicidal attempts among youths.

    Mental disorders occupy a premier position in the matrix of causation of suicide.Suicide is also more prevalent in teenagers and youngsters, especially females.

    There might be some young girls also who committed suicide due to failed family issues, depression. There is need for a support system to check the trend of rising suicides.

    We need to therefore empower educators, parents and other primary caregivers, who are regularly engaged with young people to be able to provide guidance in times of need,
    depressed, fatigued, traumatized and broken.
    According to studies 79 per cent of the urban and rural population in the Valley suffers from depression.If we compare Kashmir to western societies the rate is less, but among Muslim societies the suicides in Kashmir are very high.

    Prevention:

    Suicide is an important, largely preventable public health problem.The problem is however a difficult one a complex array of factors such as poverty, low literacy level, unemployment, family violence, breakdown of the joint family system, unfulfilled romantic ideals, inter-generational conflicts, loss of job or loved one, failure of crops, growing costs of cultivation, huge debt burden, unhappy marriages, harassment by in-laws and husbands, dowry disputes, depression, chronic physical illness, alcoholism/drug addiction, and easy access to means of suicide.

    The World Health Organization’s (WHO’s) suicide prevention multi-site intervention study on suicidal behaviour (SUPRE-MISS), an intervention study, has revealed that it is possible to reduce suicide mortality through brief, low-cost intervention in developing countries.When trying to help someone suffering from depression, self-harm or suicidal thoughts show your concern, be present, have the courage to ask direct questions, listen without judgement. Do not avoid the conversation of suicide, this can be counterproductive.There is an urgent need to develop a national plan for suicide prevention in Kashmir. The priority areas are reducing the availability of and access to pesticide, reducing alcohol availability and consumption, promoting.

    10th September – World Suicide Prevention Day: The World Suicide Prevention Day was formally announced on 10th September, 2003.

    Contributors:

    Written By:

    Mr. Tariq Ahmad Lone
    Mobile No: 7780969092
    [email protected]

    Legal Aspects:

    By: Advocate Agha Faisal Ali

    Till 2018 Suicide was a punishable offence under the Indian Penal code, however the Supreme Court changed its view.
    Now suicide is no longer a crime in India. Atleast when proved the person was going through mental stress of any kind. Which every potential suicider does. If proven that the person was perfectly normal and has attempted suicide, only then he/she might be punished under the frame of law.

    Section 309 of IPC is to be read with Mental Healthcare Act of 2017. Esp Section 115

  • Women police in J&K can prevent youngsters from ‘wrong path’: PM Modi


    Srinagar: Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday said that women police in Jammu and Kashmir can play vital role in preventing youngsters from opting “wrong path”.

    Screengrab from video tweeted by @PMOindia

    According to KNS monitoring, PM Modi who was addressing 2018 batch of IPS probationers at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy in Hyderabad via video conferencing, heaped praise on the people of Kashmir, saying they are “lovely” people and having special ability to learn new things.

    “I am very connected to these people. They treat you with so much love. All of us together, we have to work towards stopping the children from taking wrong path”, PM Modi said.

    He said “This can be done by our women police officers efficiently. Our women force can effectively work in educating the mothers and bringing back those children. I am confident if you do that, we can prevent our children from getting into the wrong path”.

    He was apparently referring to the youth being radicalized and made to join militant groups in Jammu and Kashmir.

    The PM also stressed on constabulary intelligence for effective policing. “Now a days technology plays an important role in crime detection, be it CCTV footage, mobile tracking.

    It helps you in a big way. But the same technology is also responsible for suspension of police personnel at times”, he said.

    “The way technology is helpful it is also becoming a cause of problems … and police are subjected to it more”, he added.

    He further said the police officials need to train people to see how technology can be used to its maximum and in a positive way as big data and artificial intelligence, social media were the new age technologies which can be used as weapons for better policing.

    The “humane” side of the police force in the country came to fore during the Covid-19 pandemic and the security personnel did a commendable job.

    “During Covod-19 pandemic, Police used to sing songs to create awareness, used to feed the poor and take patients”, PM Modi said and adding these scenes were witnessed by people during Corona virus, humanity worked through Khaki uniform.

    As many as 131 probationers, including 28 women, of the Indian Police Service of 2018 batch successfully completed their training in the academy. (KNS)

  • Scheduled Power Shutdown for Nedous-TRC, Alasteng-Nagbal, Kangan and Tulmulla-Lar Power Stations

    Srinagar: According to the Power Controller, Kashmir Province, Bemina Srinagar, in order to replace damaged LA Set at Golf Club M A Road, the power supply to the areas fed from Nedous Tap Line feeding from TRC, Barbarshah-TRC Tap Line shall remain affected on September 05, from 11 am to 12: 30 pm.

    Similarly, to carry out branch cutting the power supply to the areas fed from 33 kV lines of STD Ganderbal shall remain affected.

    The power supply to the areas falling under Receiving Stations Power House, Duderhama and Manigam fed from 33 kV Alasteng Power House line shall remain affected on September 5 and 7 from 10 am to 5 pm.

    The power supply to the areas falling under Receiving Stations Nagbal, Alasteng, Ganda Singh and Tulbagh fed from 33 kV Alasteng-Nagbal line shall remain affected on September 8 and 10 from 10 am to 5 pm.

    The power supply to the areas falling under Receiving Station Wussan fed from 33 kV Kangan-Wussan line shall remain affected on September 5 from 10 am to 5 pm.

    The power supply to the areas falling under Receiving Stations Surfraw and Gagangeer fed from 33 kV Kangan-Surfraw line shall remain affected on September 7 and 8 from 10 am to 5 pm.

    The power supply to the areas falling under Receiving Station Kangan fed from 33 kV Kangan-Kangan line shall remain affected on September 8 from 10 am to 5 pm.

    The power supply to the areas falling under Receiving Station Tulmulla, Lar fed from 33 kV Badampora-Duderhama line shall remain affected on September 9 from 10 am to 5 pm.

  • Babar Azam tells Somerset, he won’t wear logo of alcohol brand

    Babar in his first appearance for Somerset scored 42 runs and took a stunning catch to lead his team to a 16-run victory.

    PTI

    Pakistan’s white-ball cricket captain, Babar Azam has told his English county, Somerset that he would not display the logo of any alcohol beverage company on his shirt during the ongoing T20 Blast event in England.

    Babar, who joined Somerset after Pakistan’s tour ended on Tuesday, was seen wearing a shirt which had the logo of an alcohol company on his back.

    Not surprisingly, it led to some backlash in the social media but a source close to the Pakistan captain confirmed he had made it clear in his contract with Somerset he would not promote any alcohol company logo.

    “Apparently the logo was on the back of Babar’s shirt by mistake and the county has assured him it will be removed for the next match, the source said.

    Babar in his first appearance for Somerset scored 42 runs and took a stunning catch to lead his team to a 16-run victory.

    In the past Muslim players representing other teams including England, South Africa and Australia have refused to wear kits displaying logo of any alcohol beverages company despite having to suffer big losses in earnings from their respective cricket boards.

    Hashim Amla and Imran Tahir in South Africa, Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid in England are a few examples.

    The Pakistan cricket board permitted few of its players including Babar, Imad Wasim and Shaheen Shah Afridi to stay back in England and play the T20 blast tournament.

  • Pattan Encounter: 02 militants killed, Army Major and a SPO injured, operation continues

    Srinagar: Two militants were killed, an army major and J&K policeman injured in an ongoing encounter in Yadipora area of Pattan in North Kashmir’s Baramulla district.

    A senior Police officer told GNS, that another militant has been killed in an ongoing encounter taking toll to 02, however their identification couldn’t be ascertained yet.

    The police officer further said that one policeman namley Naseer Ahmad also recieved bullet wound during exchange of fire, was subsequently shifted to SKIMS Soura hospital for specialized treatment.

    As per the sources one more militant is still believed to be holed up.

    In Intial exchange of firing a Major of 29 RR was also injured, who was evacuated to 92 Base hospital for treatment.

    Earlier, According to the reports reaching GNS, a joint team of Police, Army’s RR 29 and CRPF launched a cordon-and-search-operation in Yadipora.

    As the joint team encircled the suspected spot, the hiding militants fired upon them. The fire was retaliated by the joint team, triggering off an encounter.(GNS)

  • India’s COVID-19 tally goes past 39 lakh

    PTI

    New Delhi: India’s COVID-19 tally went past 39 lakh on Friday with 83,341 fresh cases reported in a span of 24 hours, while the number of recoveries crossed the 30-lakh mark, pushing the recovery rate of coronavirus patients in the country to 77.15 per cent, according to the Union health ministry

    Photo Credit: PTI

    The total number of COVID-19 cases mounted to 39,36,747, while the death toll due to the disease climbed to 68,472 with 1,096 people succumbing to it in a day, the ministry’s data updated at 8 am showed

    The COVID-19 case fatality rate has further declined to 1.74 per cent in the country

    There are 8,31,124 active coronavirus cases in the country, which account for 21.11 per cent of the total caseload, the data stated

    The country registered over 80,000 fresh COVID-19 cases for the second consecutive day

    India is the third worst-hit nation by the pandemic in terms of cases and deaths, according to the Johns Hopkins University, which has been compiling COVID-19 data from all over the world

    India’s COVID-19 tally had crossed the 20-lakh mark on August 7 and the 30-lakh mark on August 23

    According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), a total of 4,66,79,145 samples were tested for COVID-19 in the country as on September 3, including 11,69,765 on Thursday

    Of the 1,096 fresh deaths, 391 were in Maharashtra, 104 in Karnataka, 92 in Tamil Nadu,?75 each in Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh, 72?in Punjab, 55 in West Bengal, 30 in Madhya Pradesh,?26 in Bihar, 19 each in Delhi and Haryana, 16 each in Chhattisgarh and Gujarat, 14 in Rajasthan and 11 in Jammu and Kashmir

    Ten fatalities each were reported from Kerala and Telangana, nine from Uttarakhand, eight each from Goa and Odisha, seven each from Assam and Puducherry, six from Jharkhand, five from Himachal Pradesh, four from Chandigarh, three each from Manipur and Tripura while one death was recorded in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands

    Of the total 68,472 deaths, Maharashtra accounts for the maximum of 25,586, followed by 7,608 in Tamil Nadu, 6,054 in Karnataka, 4,500 in Delhi,?4,200 in Andhra Pradesh, 3,691 in Uttar Pradesh, 3,394 in West Bengal, 3,062 in Gujarat and 1,690 in Punjab

    So far, 1,483 people have died of COVID-19 in Madhya Pradesh, 1,095 in Rajasthan, 866 in Telangana, 743 in Jammu and Kashmir, 740 in Haryana, 672 in Bihar, 522 in Odisha, 444 in Jharkhand, 330 in Assam, 315 each in Kerala and Chhattisgarh and 300 in Uttarakhand

    Puducherry has registered 260 COVID-19 fatalities, Goa 212, Tripura 129, Chandigarh 63, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Himachal Pradesh 48 each, Ladakh 35, Manipur 32, Meghalaya 13, Nagaland nine, Arunachal Pradesh seven, Sikkim four and Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu two

    The ministry stressed that over 70 per cent of the deaths occurred due to comorbidities

    “Our figures are being reconciled with the Indian Council of Medical Research,” the ministry said on its website, adding that a state-wise distribution of the figures is subject to further verification and reconciliation.

  • Urdu to lose Jammu and Kashmir special status

    Urdu is set to lose its 131-year-old status as Jammu and Kashmir’s sole official language.

    The Narendra Modi government on Wednesday decided to include Hindi, Kashmiri, Dogri and English as official languages of the Union Territory.

    “We have decided to introduce the Jammu and Kashmir Official Languages Bill 2020 in Parliament, under which five languages — Urdu, Hindi, Kashmiri, Dogri and English —will become official languages,” Union minister Prakash Javadekar said after a cabinet meeting in New Delhi.

    Javadekar, briefing the media on the cabinet decisions, linked the change to the scrapping of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status last year. “It is not only the fulfilment of a long-pending public demand from the region but is also in keeping with the spirit of equality, which was ushered in after August 5 last year,” he said.

    The erstwhile Dogra rulers of Jammu and Kashmir had recognised Urdu as the official language in 1889, replacing Persian, which had enjoyed that status for three centuries. The change was largely driven by the desire that most people in the princely state understand the official language.

    Although Urdu is not the mother tongue of most Jammu and Kashmir residents, a big majority of their children converse in the language, a trend that has picked up in recent years.

    For more than a century, Urdu has been the language used in revenue records and the courts, and by police. English was, however, gradually allowed for official transactions.

    Jammu and Kashmir law secretary Achal Sethi said the previous Constitution (scrapped last year) recognised only Urdu as the official language. “But it was written there that English will continue to be used,” Sethi said.

    The Centre had last year passed the J&K Reorganisation Act, which empowered Parliament to “adopt any one or more of the languages in use in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir or Hindi as the official language or languages to be used for all or any of the official purposes”.

    Union minister Jitendra Singh, who is from Jammu, hailed Wednesday’s decision. “Inclusion of Dogri, Hindi and Kashmiri as official languages in Jammu and Kashmir is not only the fulfilment of a long-pending public demand, but also in keeping with the spirit of equality ushered after August 5, 2019,” the minister tweeted.

    But National Conference leader and former minister Agha Rohullah said there was never a demand here for adding other languages.

    “It’s a continuation of what has been happening here and is a cultural invasion of Kashmir. Jammu and Kashmir, being a Muslim-majority state, is not an administrative issue for them. It has become a theatre for them to woo Hindutva voters and they want to demolish the cultural identity of Jammu and Kashmir,” Ruhullah told The Telegraph.

    “Urdu has not been the language of one religion; people from all religions embraced it. It is the Dogras who made it the official language.”

    People’s Democratic Party spokesperson Firdous Tak said: “It’s like somebody writes an official letter in Kashmiri and gets a reply in Dogri. Neither will understand what the other has written.”

    Members of Jammu’s Dogri community, however, cheered the inclusion of Dogri in the list of official languages.

    Other ethnic communities of the Union Territory are now expected to demand official language status for their mother tongues. Kashmiri is spoken by over 55 per cent and Dogri by around 25 per cent of the population of Jammu and Kashmir. Pahari, Gogri and other languages are spoken by the remaining 20 per cent.

    With inputs from The Telegraph India

    (This story has not been edited by Kashmir Today staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

  • Chief of Defence Staff cautions Pakistan against taking advantage of India-China tensions

    Quad should ensure Freedom of Navigation in Indian Ocean: Gen. Rawat

    India’s wants the Quad to become a system to “ensure Freedom of Navigation (FoN) and Freedom of Navigation Operations (FONOPS)” in the Indian Ocean and around, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat said on Thursday, while highlighting the threat of a combined challenge from Pakistan and China on two fronts, and cautioning Pakistan against taking any advantage of the tensions with China.

    “As far as Quad is concerned, we feel this is a good arrangement which will ensure that the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) and all other oceans around, there is complete FoN without fear of any other nation singularly trying to dominate the oceans,” Gen. Rawat said in a webinar by the U.S. India Strategic Partnership Forum, when asked about the Quad grouping consisting of India, Australia, Japan and the U.S.

    “We are very keen to ensure that there is complete FoN on the seas and in the airspace above,” he stated.

    Two-front challenge

    Talking of the situation on the borders, Gen. Rawat said the threat from Pakistan will be mainly in the form of a proxy war but should any threat develop around our northern borders, Pakistan could take advantage and create some trouble there. “Therefore, we have taken adequate precautions to ensure that any such misadventure by Pakistan is thwarted and they are not able to succeed in their mission. But in fact, they may suffer heavy losses should they attempt any misadventure,” he said.

    Talking of China, Gen. Rawat said there were border management protocols signed from 1993 onwards that have been modified continuously. “But of late, we have been seeing some aggressive actions by the Chinese but we are capable of handling these in the best suitable way,” he said, without making any specific comment on the ongoing stand-off in Ladakh.

    Infrastructure development in the Tibet Autonomous Region, completion of the highway renovation project and development of strategic railway lines, in addition to the recently introduced military reforms by China are being monitored and their implications factored while devising future military strategy, Gen. Rawat said, stating that formation of theatre commands improves Chinese ability to “conduct synergised operations”.

    “Opportunities exist for us to develop strategic asymmetry in select military domains, especially operations at high altitudes,” Gen. Rawat noted.

    He also stated that Chinese economic cooperation with Pakistan in Pakistan Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, along with continued military, economic and diplomatic support, mandates high levels of preparation and also poses the “threat of coordinated action on the Northern and Western fronts”. To offset this, Gen. Rawat said strategies have been devised to deal with the primary front and the secondary front. “We have earmarked forces for that and we have conceptualised our strategies to deal with such threat scenarios emerging on both our borders,” he said.

    India-US cooperation

    Asked about India-U.S. partnership, Gen. Rawat said several agreements have been concluded of late that had improved strategic cooperation. Stating that the Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA) signed in 2018 enables Indian military to get a better picture of the maritime activities in the IOR, Gen. Rawat said, “What we are looking for from the U.S. is information sharing and continued supply of high technology battle field systems that we can use to our advantage.”

    Highlighting aerospace systems, space technology, cyber and artificial intelligence as high technology areas for India-U.S. cooperation, Gen. Rawat said, “With 74% Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in defence, India should become a preferred destination for investment in defence manufacturing.”

    On the COVID-19 situation, Gen. Rawat said the “pandemic has turned out to be a national security issue” and added it was being ensured that troops deployed in the frontline were not impacted by the virus.

    With inputs from The Hindu

  • Army officer injured in encounter in Baramulla

    PTI

    Srinagar: An army officer was injured in an encounter with militants in Baramulla district of Jammu and Kashmir on Friday, police said.

    Security forces launched a cordon and search operation at Yedipora in Pattan area of Baramulla district in north Kashmir following specific information about the presence of militants, a police officer said.

    He said the search operation turned into an encounter after the militants fired upon a search party of the forces, who retaliated.

    In the initial exchange of firing, an army officer has sustained injuries, the officer said, adding the injured was taken to 92 Base Hospital here for treatment.

    The exchange of firing is going on and additional forces have been rushed to the area, the officer said. Further details were awaited, he said.

  • 10 Kashmiri youths booked under UAPA for playing cricket match ‘in memory of slain militant’

    The 10 youths include nine local cricketers and slain militant Syed Ruban’s brother, who allegedly organised the cricket match in Shopian Thursday.

    Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir Police Thursday booked 10 youths in Shopian district under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) for allegedly taking part in a cricket tournament held “in the memory” of a slain militant commander.

    At the cricket ground in Shopian | By special arrangement
    The cricket ground in Shopian where the match was played | By special arrangement

    According to senior J&K administration officials, the 10 youths include nine local cricketers and brother of a slain militant commander, who is believed to be the organiser of the event held in Shopian Thursday.

    Officials said the tournament was allegedly organised by Syed Tajamul Imran, brother of Syed Ruban, who was the commander of a militant outfit named Al Badr. He was killed in a gunfight with security forces in January last year.

    Ruban (23), a resident of Nazneenpora Shopian, had joined militancy in 2018. He was the cousin of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Syed Naveed Babu, who was arrested along with former deputy superintendent of police Davinder Singh in January this year when the latter was trying to ferry him and another militant.

    “The individual (Tajamul) had distributed some jerseys and organised the event in the memory of his brother killed in 2019. As a result of this, a massive number of people had gathered to watch the cricket tournament. As of now, 10 individuals have been booked under the UAPA,” said a senior officer, who did not wish to be named.

    “Clearly the event was held with an intention to glorify insurgency here,” the officer said.

    ThePrint tried to reach Tajamul through phone calls for a comment, but his mobile remained switched off till the time of publishing this report.

    ‘My brother was a talented cricketer’

    Tajamul, a local activist and coordinator of the Jammu and Kashmir People Association, had issued a press statement earlier in the day, stating that he had distributed 100 cricket uniforms in the “loving memory of his brother”.

    “I distribute these cricket uniforms as this was my brother’s favourite game. He was a talented cricketer, admired by his friends for his love for the game and talent he had got,” his statement read.

    It added that the tournament was being held to encourage youth to take up sports, “lest they may fall for drugs and other social evils”. 

    The police is yet to make any arrest in the case.

    With inputs from ThePrint

    (This story has not been edited by Kashmir Today staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)