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Srinagar: Cancer disease is “alarming increasing” day by day in Jammu and Kashmir, the state government said on Tuesday.

Replying to a question by National Conference’s General Secretary Ali Mohammad Sagar, Minister Health and Medical Education Department according to GNS said that Regional Cancer Center registration figures indicate the alarming increase. He said 6776 patients were treated in last year in Government Medical Colleges Srinagar and Jammu besides SKIMS Soura. 

He said 6130 such patients were treated in 2014, 6665 in 2015 and 6627 in 2016 respectively.  

Regarding corpus fund Scheme for cancer patients, launched by former Chief Minister Late Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, the minister said an amount of Rs one crore as Corpus Fund was released in favour of Principal Government Medical College, Jammu for treatment of poor cancer patients while 468 patients were benefited as on date under the scheme.  (GNS) 

Mannan Bashir Wani, a scholar at the Aligarh Muslim University pursuing doctorate in Geology, uploaded a gun-wielding photograph on the social media, shocking family, friends and the security grid.

Mannan Bashir Wani, a scholar at the Aligarh Muslim University pursuing doctorate in Geology, uploaded a gun-wielding photograph on the social media, shocking family, friends and the security grid.

Here are the ten developments on the story: 

1.In a viral video, the family of the scholar has issued a passionate appeal for him to return home. “We will live in penury, but you should come home,” said his mother Shameema in the video. “Come back my son. I won’t force you for further studies and will keep you at home only. Please return to your parents, I am waiting for you.”

2.His father who is a lecturer said that the decision of his son has shocked him.

3.His elder brother Mudasir Wani said that Mannan had no apparent reason of picking up gun. “We couldn’t believe our eyes even after seeing Mannan along with a gun in a picture on Facebook. We had never imagined that he would join militancy because there was no apparent reason for him to do so,” he told Greater Kashmir.

4.Police is still investigating whether or not the scholar known for activism in AMU has joined militancy. “Once we complete the investigations, only then we will be able to say with authenticity whether he has joined militancy or not,” said top cop Muneer Khan. “It could be like someone might have photo-shopped his photograph and posted it on the social networking site.”

5.In Aligarh, a team of senior AMU officials sealed Manan’s room of Manan Bashir Wani, 26, immediately upon receiving a letter from the Superintendent of Police, Aligarh, regarding his alleged “nefarious” activities, university officials said.

6.However, Salahuddin who heads the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, in a statement, has announced that Wani has joined the outfit. “Claims of the government and the police that youth are joining militancy due to unemployment and other domestic issues stand punctured after a Ph.D scholar from AMU joined the Hizb,” local news agency CNS quoted Salahuddin as saying.

7.What motivated Mannan to join militancy remains unclear, however, a virtual friend of Wani’s attempts to add some background. “This guy, Manan, was my Facebook friend…A month or so, before, he wrote a story on fb [Facebook] that, while he was travelling to his home in a sumo [taxi], he was dragged down at five places, humiliated, leered and jeered by Naka parties: just for his looks and wear-up.”

8.AMU has reportedly set up a comprehensive inquiry into the entire matter and is also taking further necessary steps for beefing up security in the university’s hostels.

9.AMU officials said that he had left for his hometown shortly before the commencement of the winter vacations at AMU on January 6.

10.Wani was specializing in Applied Geology and had last year been acclaimed for his research paper on flood risk assessment at an international conference. Over the last five years, he had reportedly been involved in student politics. He has now been expelled by the university.

Srinagar, Jan 9 : Two militants have been killed in an ongoing encounter at Larnow area of Kokernag in South Kashmir’s Anantnag district on Tuesday.

A senior police officer told GNS that a joint team of army, SOG and CRPF launched a cordon-and-search at Larnow following a tip off.

Soon after the party approached the suspected spot, the hiding militants opened fire triggering off a gunfight.

Two militants have been killed so far during the gunfight.

He identified the slain as Mohd Furhan Wani son of Ghulam Mohd Wani r/o Wangund, Khudwani and Mohd Farnham Wani son of Ghulam Mohidin Wani r/o Wangund Kaimuh.

The officer said that the operation is still underway in the area.

Soon after the news about the encounter spread, the people mostly youth took to streets and pelted stones on forces.

The forces used tear smoke shells to disperse them.

Meanwhile, authorities blocked internet services in the southern district. (GNS)

Srinagar, January 09: A gunfight broke out between militants and Goverment forces in Larnoo area of Kokernag in Anantnag district on Tuesday morning.

A top police officer told GNS The gunfight broke out after joint team of Army, SOG and CRPF launched a cordon and search operation following specific inputs about the presence of some militants.

When last reports came in intermittent firing was going on.(GNS)

Srinagar: The J&K Board of School Education (BOSE) is likely to announce the result of Classes X and XII after January 10, officials said.

They said the students should not believe the rumours that were being circulated on social networking sites such as Facebook and WhatsApp every day. Earlier, the BOSE also issued a clarification that they had not issued any official date for the results.

“We are working on the results and it will be declared any day after January 10,” said Veena Pandita, BOSE chairperson.

The official said at least one-month time was required after the exams were over. She said the practical exams of both the classes finished in the second week of December. 

“We also need time for evaluation. At least one month is required after the practical exams are over,” Pandita added.

The exams of Classes X and XII were delayed by a month this year and started in the first week of November. The delay was due to the loss of one month of regular classes due to student protests in April-May last year that spread through all parts of Kashmir, forcing the closure of schools for more than a month. 

The exams finished in the last week of November last year, but the practicals ended in December. Currently, all schools are closed for the winter break in Kashmir. The schools are scheduled to open in the first week of March.

The provisional admission for Class XI has already completed in the schools. Moreover, the private coaching centres teaching science and arts streams have also begun. Reported The Tribune.

Sopore: Jammu and Kashmir Police on Monday claimed to have solved the murder case of missing goldsmith in Sopore town of North Kashmir’s Baramulla district by arresting four persons.

Addressing reporters, SSP Sopore Dr Harmeet Singh Metha said the arrested persons have confessed to killing the goldsmith “with a sole aim of looting jewelry and cash from his shop.”

Giving details, he said that the accused forcibly lifted Tariq Ahmed Malik (32), son of Ghulam Rasool of Kalaroos Kupwara, in his car soon around 7:30 pm after he closed his shop at Chotta Bazar Sopore on Dec 26.

“The accused strangulated him and took away keys of his shop and looted gold and cash,” he said.

Singh said that the accused threw the body of the goldsmith in a river after committing the crime.

“We are making all efforts to retrieve the body from the river,” he said.

Pertinently, the goldsmith Tariq Ahmed had gone missing on Dec 26 and since then Sopore traders and family members were continuously protesting demanding whereabouts of him.

The police revelation sent shock waves among family members and traders who demanded capital punishment for the killers. “It is a cold blooded murder. These criminals should be hanged in broad day light. Such criminals are nuisance for the society as Kashmir is a place where such crimes don’t take place,” said Haji Abdul Rehman Zargar, the man who brought up the orphan victim.

Meanwhile, the four accused have been identified as two brothers Sajad Lara and Adil Lara sons of Afzal Lara resident of Muslimpeer Sopore, Ghulam Muhammad Lara and his son Nayeem Lara. (CNS)

Mother says ‘he should come back, won’t let him study more, live in penury’   

Srinagar, Jan 8 : Family of Mannan Wani, a PhD scholar of AMU who announced his joining the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen militant organization, are in mourning and demanded him to return back home.  

“He has taken this decision himself and without consulting me. He knows and understands how much he has pained his ‘papa’ and saddened his mammy; how much he has upset his lone sister,” Bashir Ahmad Wani, father of the 26-year-old told reporters at his residence at Takipora village in Kupwara district of north Kashmir.

“He is a mature person and I was never expecting this from him. If he has any issues, he could have addressed it some other way. I have no words to express what we are going through and everything is before you (referring to family’s mourning.” He according to GNS said Mannan’s joining (Hizb-ul-Mujahideen) was “shocking news.”

“He is very talented. The talent he posses, he could have done a lot. It is very unfortunate. On December 3, there was last contact with him. He sent pictures to his sisters and since then there is no contact with him,” he said. Mannan was doing PhD in geology in Aligarh Muslim University, he confirmed.

His mother said urged Mannan to come back. “I would not let him to study more. I don’t want his degree or employment. We will live in penury. Kindly get him back,” she said as broke down.   

Mannan announced his joining Hizbul Mujahideen outfit by uploading on social media pictures in which he poses with an AK rifle.

He was pursuing his Phd in Geology at Algarh Milam University. Since last five years he was in AMU where from he completed his Mphill.

 “We are investigating the case of the Phd student who left his studies to become a militant and his photograph holding an AK assault rifle was doing rounds on social media,” a police officer, as reported already, told GNS. 

The police was trying to ascertain how the student left his studies to join the militant group, the officer had said. (GNS)

Srinagar: In view of the forthcoming Panchayat polls in Jammu and Kashmir, there are high chances of the government postponing the KAS Mains exam that the High Court had asked the Public Service Commission (PSC) to conduct sans any delay. 

The candidates who will be appearing in the exams are in a fix about the date on which the examination will be held. However, insiders privy to the development told Kashmir News Service (KNS) that the government’s announcement about the Panchayat elections being followed by the Urban Local Bodies polls in the state could keep the conduction of the KAS Mains examination in limbo. 

The recent High Court verdict had aske the PSC to conduct the KAS Main exams of the 429 candidates who were earlier left out by the commission. However, so far the JKPSC has not issued any notification regarding the submission of application forms from the 429 candidates, that too when less than a month is left for the commencement of Mains examination. 

The High Court had earlier in a petition by the “excluded” candidates observed that “a mess was created in the conduct of the examination by the commission and public interest has been put at jeopardy.” 

The court had observed that PSC being the premier recruiting agency of the state “it cannot tamper with the career of thousands of aspirants who burn midnight oil for making a livelihood.” 

After holding preliminary examination, the PSC vide notification PSC/Exam/2017/22 dated 23.04.2017 declared 6925 out of 47000 candidates to have qualified for KAS Mains Examination. The cut-off mark was declared as 270.477 out of aggregate of 450 marks. (KNS)

Manan Bashir Wani, who was pursuing doctorate in earth science-Geology at the varsity, is believed to have joined Hizb-ul-Mujahideen.

AMU scholar Manan Wani’s gun-wielding picture goes viral, triggers debate on social media

The viral photograph of an Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) scholar wielding an assault rifle has shocked his friends with one of them saying that he “saw an IAS officer in him”.

Manan Bashir Wani, who was pursuing doctorate in earth science-Geology at the varsity, is believed to have joined Hizb-ul-Mujahideen.

A resident of Tekipora village of Lolab in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district, police said Wani’s family on Sunday came to the police station Sogam after his photograph wielding a gun appeared on the social networking websites.

“We are verifying its credentials,” said a police official from Sogam police station.

Muneer Ahmad Khan, additional director general of police, said that there are contradictory reports about Wani. “Nothing can be said. This thing is under verification,” he said.

His decision, however, has shocked his friends.

“I was calculating MANAN BASHIR WANI among new generation IAS officers but his fate was written to join the Mujahideen ranks,” wrote Khan Aatif on the Facebook.

It generated a spontaneous reaction from another Facebook user Einaam Khan, who wrote: “What kind of decision it is. I am numb”.

Aatif’s post saw a sharp reaction from another user, who wrote: “What’s right for u can be wrong for others. Left to these ignited people they better know what’s right & what’s wrong. You dear better take care of your wisdom”.

Jawaid Nasir, who is in the friend list of Wani, posted a heart-wrenching tale about his joining militant ranks.

According to Nasir’s post, Wani before a month had posted about the alleged “harassment” faced at the hands of the government forces.

“This guy ,Manan, was my Facebook friend…A month or so, before, he wrote a story on fb [Facebook] that, while he was travelling to his home in a sumo [taxi], he was dragged down at five places, humiliated, leered and jeered by Naka parties: just for his looks and wear-up.”

The incident, he said, had traumatized Wani and he had later shared the experience on his Faecook wall. “…this is the slavery of worst kind, i loath this,” Wani had written, according to Nasir.

Meanwhile, reports said that AMU has suspended the scholar after his gun-wielding picture.

The website of AMU mentions Wani as Research Scholar at the Department of Geology who had been awarded the ‘Best Paper Presentation Award’ in an international conference on ‘Water, Environment,  Energy and Society’(ICWEES) held at AISECT University, Bhopal which was attended by delegates from world over including countries like USA and UK.