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Srinagar, January 18 : Several vehicles got damaged on Friday afternoon after the suspected militants lobbed a grenade towards CRPF party near Clock Tower (Ganta Ghar) in commercial hub Lal Chowk.

Officials said that several vehicles were damaged in the attack while as no loss of life or injury was reported.

Notably, this was the third such attack in Srinagar in the recent past.

Yesterday, three cops including an ASI was injured in a grenade attack near Zero Bridge in Raj Bagh area of Srinagar.

As this report was filed no loss of life or injury has been reported so far. More to come.(KNO)

Srinagar: Hailing the impeccable courage and determination with which the PDP workers have been strengthening the party on the ground, Mehbooba said that the real asset for the PDP since its foundation in 1999 has been its ground level workers.

Former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir and President of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Mehbooba Mufti on Thursday reiterated that dialogue and reconciliation between India and Pakistan are inevitable for the resolution of Kashmir issue.
While addressing the party functionaries and activists from Rajpora assembly segment, Mehbooba said that the resilience of the PDP workers is worth to hail as they in spite of the harsh weather attended the meeting in large numbers and gave a clear message that the party is going to emerge victorious and more stronger in the coming time.

Hailing the impeccable courage and determination with which the PDP workers have been strengthening the party on the ground, Mehbooba said that the real asset for the PDP since its foundation in 1999 has been its ground level workers.
PDP president stated further that after the 2014 polls accorded fragmented mandate to state’s political landscape, PDP founder Mufti Mohammad Sayeed decided to stitch the common ground with BJP will the sole motive to reincarnate the Vajpayee era in the state and to stop the vicious cycle of unabated killings and violence. “Even when I told my father that the decision to join hands with the BJP has more risks than rewards and would decline party’s popularity in the state, he said he was ready to sacrifice everything including his own self if that resolves the decades old conflict.”
Mehbooba said, adding that her father was confident that dialogue and reconciliation would be initiated and same measures taken during Vajpayee’s time shall be witnessed once again.
“However, when on November 7, 2015 Prime Minister Modi addressed a rally in Srinagar, he announced Rs 80,000 crore package but exhibited reluctance in pitching for a thaw between India and Pakistan for peace in the state. This disheartened everyone including the people who had come from far flung areas to listen to the Prime Minister,” Mehbooba said.

Srinagar: The meteorological department has predicted another spell of moderate to heavy snowfall in the Kashmir region from Saturday onwards.

With the western disturbances likely to affect the region, the officials have also warned of disruption of road, rail and air traffic from Saturday morning.

Meanwhile, the weather in Srinagar on Thursday witnessed an improvement after the region witnessed a bout of snow on Wednesday.

“The western disturbances are most likely to affect the state and its adjoining areas from January 19 to 25, with the main activity between January 20 and 23 and gradual decrease thereafter,” Sonam Lotus, director, Srinagar Meteorological Centre, said in a statement on Thursday.

He said moderate to heavy snowfall and rain was expected at widespread places of the Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh regions.

“Some places may receive very heavy rain and snow during this period,” he said, adding that light snowfall would begin at a few places in Kashmir on Saturday morning and increase in intensity and distribution thereafter.

Besides there is also a general warning that “heavy precipitation may cause avalanches in higher reaches and lead to landslides and waterlogging in low-lying areas”.

Kashmir is currently under the grip of “chillai kalan”, the 40-day harshest winter periodwhen the chances of snowfall are most frequent and the temperature drops considerably.

Flight operations resume at Srinagar airport

A day after Kashmir witnessed a bout of snow, the minimum temperature at most places of the region on Wednesday night witnessed an improvement, providing much-needed relief to the residents. Besides, to-and-fro flight operations from the Srinagar International Airport also resumed on Thursday after remaining suspended for a day.

Asks District admin, society’s affluent to extend all possible help to victims

Srinagar, Jan 17: Senior National Conference leader and MLC Aga Syed Mehmood on Thursday expressed grief and sorrow over the fire incident that has gutted four houses in Lal Bazar area of Srinagar.

In a statement issued here, the former minister stated that the fire victims have been put in dire straits and the civil administration must extend all possible financial help to them at this hour of great loss.

Aga also urged upon the affluent sections of the society to come forward and extend all possible help to the fire victims so that they could get a shelter during the present harsh winter period.

Srinagar: The case of the child from a minority nomadic community, who was allegedly abducted while she was grazing horses and kept in captivity in a temple where she was gangraped before being bludgeoned to death, is nearing its final stages in a court in Pathankot in Punjab, officials said on Thursday.

The headlines may have faded away but the fear is constant, the grief seemingly without end, says the family of an eight-year-old girl whose body was found in a jungle in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kathua district on this day a year ago.

The case of the child from a minority nomadic community, who was allegedly abducted while she was grazing horses and kept in captivity in a temple where she was gangraped before being bludgeoned to death, is nearing its final stages in a court in Pathankot in Punjab, officials said on Thursday.

Eight people, including the custodian of the village temple in Kathua and two policemen, have been arrested for their alleged role in the crime that stunned the country with its brutality and polarised society along communal lines.

While the law takes its course and the world moves on after the initial shock, for the family, the trauma continues, casting long shadows over their everyday lives.

“We are still in shock,” said her father in a phone interview with PTI.

The family, which migrates to the higher reaches of Kashmir during the summer months, have returned to their village but normalcy is still a far cry.

“There is constant fear and I do not send my children outside. They remain confined inside the house… How can I send my other children after what happened?” he asked.

He said their anxious wait for a judgement continues.

“We lost our girl but I hope no parent has to undergo this kind of pain ever,” he said.

The case went through several twists and turns, including efforts by the district police to “cover up” for the main accused, till the Crime Branch stepped in and came out with a charge sheet giving details of events leading to the horrific crime.

According to officials, the prosecution has closed its evidence at the sessions court at Pathankot, which is hearing the case on the direction of the Supreme Court.

The case is at the stage of charges being read out to the accused before the defence makes its final submission in the case of a child, who came to be known simply as the Kathua gangrape-murder victim.

The apex court shifted the case to Pathankot in May last year after the state as well as some lawyers approached it with a plea that they did not expect a fair trial in Kathua.

The Crime Branch arrested eight people – temple custodian and main accused Sanji Ram, his son Vishal, special police officers Deepak Khajuria alias Deepu and Surinder Verma, Parvesh Kumar alias Mannu, head constable Tilak Raj and sub-inspector Arvind Datta.

Sanji Ram’s nephew, a juvenile, was also arrested. His trial is yet to begin as police is contesting his claim of being below the age of 18.

The Pathankot court framed charges under various sections of the Ranbir Penal Code, applicable in Jammu and Kashmir, including 120-B (criminal conspiracy), 302 (murder), 376-D (gang rape) and 328 (causing hurt by poisoning with an intent to hurt).

The two policemen were also charged under Section 161 (public servant taking illegal gratification) of the RPC.

According to the charge sheet, the child was abducted on January 10, killed on January 14 and her body recovered on January 17.

Sanji Ram is alleged to have hatched the conspiracy with other accused as a carefully planned strategy to remove the minority nomadic community from the area.

According to the charge sheet, she was kept sedated in the small “devisthan” and repeatedly sexually assaulted before she was bludgeoned to death.

On January 23, about a week after the body was discovered, the government handed the case to the Crime Branch, which formed a Special Investigation Team.

Sanji Ram surrendered on March 20 after his son was arrested from Uttar Pradesh a day earlier.

Investigations revealed that Sanji Ram gave Rs 4 lakh to the police officers probing the case in three instalments.

The charge sheet explained in detail how the accused police officials destroyed crucial evidence by washing the clothes of the victim before sending them to the forensic laboratory and created false evidence at the scene.

A supplementary charge sheet listed in chilling detail the cocktail of sedatives, including cannabis, forcefully given to the child.

She was given ‘mannar’ (local cannabis) as well as Epitril 0.5 mg on an empty stomach, it said.

“She was forcefully administered five tablets of Clonazepam of 0.5 mg each on January 11, 2018 which is higher than the safe therapeutic dose. Subsequently more tablets were given…The signs and symptoms of an overdose may include drowsiness, confusion, impaired coordination, slow reflexes, slowed or stopped breathing, coma (loss of consciousness) and death,” according to the medical expert’s report submitted along with the charge sheet.

It said the tablets could have pushed her into a state of shock or coma. (PTI)

Srinagar, Jan 17: National Conference vice president and former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said that killing militants shouldn’t be treated as a cause for celebration.

Reacting to General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Northern Command, Lt Gen Ranbir Singh’s statement, describing 2018 as a ‘remarkable year’, Omar said: “I beg to differ, a great year would be one in which no young man would join militancy, no terrorists would be killed & no security personnel would lose their lives in encounters. The compulsion of killing militants/terrorists shouldn’t be treated as a cause for celebration (sic).”

Reacting to tweet by a TV channel, Omar reiterated that “a great year would be a year in which security personnel don’t lose their lives in encounters but that part doesn’t suit your narrative & when have you guys ever been honest to the cause of journalism.”

Lt Gen Ranbir Singh said that “over 250 militants”, 54 others were arrested and four others surrendered last year.

“The year 2018 has been a remarkable year for armed forces on the security front. As per the record of last ten years, army along with other forces have neutralized many militants. Many militants have surrendered under pressure and many others were arrested alive,” said top army commander while talking to the reporters after inaugurating a Bridge, spanning over Suran River which connects Kalai area to Chandak area in Poonch district.

“More than 250 militants were killed, 54 others arrested and four others have surrendered,” he said, adding, “This speaks about the strength of our security establishment,” the officer said.

Srinagar : Seriously concerned about the prolonged detention and the ill-treatment meted out to Hurriyat leaders in and outside jails especially in Tihar, Hurriyat Conference (G) chairman, Syed Ali Geelani said that Peer Saifullah’s health, presently lodged in Tihar jail, has deteriorated to the extent that he felt unconscious and had a fall in bathroom.

Despite his grave health condition, he was not shifted to any hospital, but taken to a nearby dispensary.

Hurriyat chairman termed this inhuman and biased treatment to prisoners as gross violations of not only human rights but disobedience of the norms of jail manual as well. Pro-freedom leader said that Peer Saifullah is already a patient of Brain Tumor and has been operated two years back, but occupation forces and their local stooges stoop so low that they didn’t spare a cancer patient and lodged him in far flung jail with no legal proceedings.

In an emailed statement, Geealni said that NIA framed fictitious and false cases against pro-freedom leaders and arrested them which include Shabir Ahmad Shah, Altaf Ahmad Shah, Ayaz Akbar, Peer Saifullah, Raja Mehraj-ud-din Kalwal, Dr. Gh. Mohammad Bhat, Shahid-ul-Islam, Nayeem Ahmad Khan, Farooq Ahmad Dar, Syed Shahid Yousuf, Syed Shakeel Ahmad, Zahoor Ahmad Watali, Asia Indrabi, Nahida Nasreen, Fehmeeda Sofi, but these oppressive and coercive measures will never deter us from pursuing our struggle for justice and our basic rights.

He appealed global human rights organization, Asia Watch, Amnesty International, Red Cross and others to at least show their concern for these inhuman actions by India, to safe guard the life of thousands of our prisoners who are forced to live under constant mental, physical and psychological stress thousands miles away from their homeland.

Srinagar, January 17: Former finance minister, Altaf Bukhari on Thursday said that the successive representatives from all political parties have failed to provide basic amenities to the people so far.

Talking to KNO, Altaf Bukhari said that all the representatives who were elected by the people with an aim to get the basic amenities have failed to provide basic amenities including Sadak, Bijli and Pani to people.

“People must not demand these things as things should be provided to them even without hitting the streets but even after electing their representative for decades, the (people) are being deprived of electricity which remains cut off for hours together in Kashmir at present,” he said.

He added that he had not promised of jobs to people but whatever he had promised before elections, he delivered that to people. “I have no hesitation to go to the people once again as I delivered whatever I had promised,” he said.

Bukhari said he believe there is no possibility of early elections in Jammu and Kashmir. “I don’t feel there is possibility of early elections in the State. This is my individual opinion,” he said.(KNO)

Srinagar, January 17 : National Conference (NC) president and former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah on Thursday said that people in Jammu and Kashmir can’t go to Pakistan but have a right to live peacefully in Independent India.

Abdullah who was speaking to party workers in Jammu said that some people talk about ‘Azadi’ while some say they will go to Pakistan but “Let me tell you, nobody want to go to Pakistan.

” He added some people who have made this perception will understand it but may be after stumbling. “The people of Jammu and Kashmir have right to live in a peaceful atmosphere in independent India,” he told a gathering in Jammu as per KNO correspondent.

Abdullah further stated that the neighbouring is escalating terrorism in border areas or others, but this terrorism has to be stopped, which cannot be possible without unity.

“We need to end this terrorism as dialogue amid terrorism is not possible and we need to get united so that dialogue can be held to resolve the issues,” he added.(KNO)

SRINAGAR: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) general secretary Ram Madhav said that BJP will contest all seats in Jammu and as many as possible in Kashmir.

In an interview with Hindustan times Madhav said, “it was a successful campaign against militancy in Kashmir, not only 2018, but from past years was successful for security forces in Kashmir”.

He added this is a major success in the fight against militants. “Barring a few districts in south Kashmir, the Valley has largely been peaceful. Normal lives of people, developmental activity of the government are going on unhindered. Things have improved and nobody should doubt our determination to kill the last militants in the Valley. But at the same time, we are focusing in a big way to undertake developmental activity to ensure that the democracy returns in the state”, he said.

He added if local body polls are any indication, they have done well in the Valley also. “Both Congress and BJP contested and won seats. As far as the assembly or general polls are concerned, we are hoping that they will take place over the next few months”, he said.

He further added PDP was in alliance with BJP for three years. Together, we launched a massive campaign against militancy and militants and today, for her own politics, if Mehbooba wants to return to the politics of separatism and championing the cause of militants and their cohorts, it shows her own political double standards.

He added “when in power, we were consistent. We never said the militants are our in-laws, we went after them and we will go after them when we return to power”. He further added “when both NC and PDP are in Power they do something else and when out of the power they speak just something else”. (PTK)