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  • First Kashmir-based film to be released across country

    Srinagar: For the first time, a locally made two-and-a-half-hour film — ‘Kashmir Daily’ — will be released across the country this week. Even as only a handful of films have so far been produced in the Valley without cinema halls, the scheduled country-wide release of the film has brought cheer to its makers.

    ‘Kashmir Daily’ has well-known Bollywood actor of Kashmiri origin — Mir Sarwar — in the lead role, who has acted in acclaimed films Bajrangi Bhaijaan, Phantom, Dishoom and Jolly LLB-2.

    “This is for the first time that a film made in Kashmir is releasing across the country. It’s a small release compared to other big budget films, but we are thankful to God that at least it is getting released across the country,” Sarwar told The Tribune.

    Though he has made a mark in Bollywood, Sarwar said ‘Kashmir Daily’ was very close to his heart. “I expect more independent filmmakers to come forward and make films. We have paved a way for others,” he said.

    He said Friday onwards, the film would be screened at PVRs of different cities like Jammu, Bangalore, Mumbai, Delhi, Udaipur, Bangalore, Pune, Faridabad, Chennai and Kolkata.

    Hussein Khan, writer, producer and director, said ‘Kashmir Daily’, shot in Urdu and Kashmiri, was completed over a period of around three years. “There was no help from the government or private sector. We shot the movie on our own. Due to financial constraints, we shot in small schedules of two to four days for around a total of 50-60 days over two and a half years. It was a dream to make a film in Kashmir and nourish the film industry here,” he said.

    The cinema halls in the Valley were shut soon after the eruption of militancy more than 27 years ago. Even as a few cinemas tried to reopen later, they had to shut again and the movie lovers, for years now, have been watching films on pirated DVDs or the Internet.

    Produced by Seven2Creations with Safdar Arts, Khan said the film had been approved by the Central Board of Film Censorship with a “U” certificate. The film also has popular actor Zameer Ashai, besides Neelam Singh, Sanam Ziya and Rajinder Tickoo in the cast.

    Reported The Tribune

  • MeT predicts wet weather in Kashmir Valley   

    Srinagar: Weatherman on Thursday predicted wet weather for next 24 to 36 hours in the Kashmir division.

    “We are expecting light to moderate snowfall in higher reaches of the Jammu and Kashmir and light rain/snow in plains of both the regions of the State during next 24 to 36 hours”, Director Metrological Department Sonum Lotus told news agency GNS over phone.

    He said that thereafter the weather will remain dry for nearly 10 days in the state. 

    Meanwhile, mercury plunged to -20 degrees Celsius in Kargil while as temperatures remained several degrees below the freezing point elsewhere in Kashmir Valley.

    Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, had a low of -3.9 degrees Celsius, a MET department official said.

    The mercury in Qazigund settled at a minimum of -4.4 degrees Celsius. The nearby town of Kokernag recorded a low of -2.5 degrees Celsius. Kupwara in north Kashmir quivered at -3.6 degrees Celsius.

    Gulmarg, the world famous ski resort, reeled under freezing -6 degrees Celsius.

    The night temperature in Pahalgam settled at -4.5 degrees Celsius. (GNS)


     

  • ‘Lethpora attack aftermath, MHA asks security agencies to strengthen security in vital establishments’

    Srinagar: In the back drop of Lethpora Pulwama attack, in which five central Reserve Police personnel and three militants were killed, The Ministry of Home affairs (MHA) has advised the security agencies in Kashmir for strengthening of security in vital establishments which are “vulnerable” to militant attacks.

    “There are various buildings of security forces, which give militants an advantage to fight battle for longer hours. Security of such buildings must be revived along the highway to ensure militants don’t hole up inside if they carry out any attack in future,” the MHA directives according to sources have said.

    Militants stormed a central reserve police force (CRPF) camp in Lethpora area along the Srinagar-Anantnag highway in an audacious pre-dawn strike on Sunday, killing at least five CRPF personnel. Three militants were also killed.

    One of the top officials of the police officials though maintained that the security review is an ongoing process but told KNS that the security agencies are reviewing security of vital installations and establishments in Kashmir in view militants taking advantage of multi-storey concrete buildings and carrying out Fidayeen attacks on camps. “There are some establishments which are vulnerable to attacks. The security agencies have been directed to carry out their security review to combat any of the attacks,” the police official said wishing not to be named.

    The official said that Fidayeen attack was carried out on Lethpora camp to engage security forces for longer hours. “There are many big buildings in which militants tried to be holed up but the CRPF personnel fought and killed them and defeat what they were aimed for,” the official said.

    Special DGP, CRPF, S N Shrivastava, said that security is being reviewed of all security establishments. “Security review is an ongoing process. We are doing it as per the situation and upgrading security accordingly,” he said.

    He said that security forces were ready to combat militancy in the valley. “We will take every measure whatever is required to eradicate militancy.”

    Further the CCTVs are also being installed in various vital buildings of the Valley to ensure militants don’t take advantage which are vulnerable for such attacks.

    Earlier, the militants had engage security forces for hours after holed up inside inside a six-storey building of Entrepreneurship Development Institute (JKEDI) Pampore.

    The gunfight, one of the longest in the recent history of Kashmir is believed that militants had managed to keep security forces engaged so long by taking advantage of the building.

    Sources said that the issue was also raised up in a recent security meeting where it was directed security agencies to ensure militants don’t manage to hole up inside such establishments and “all possible loopholes” are plugged in time. Security forces were directed to follow proper SOP so that militants don’t get a change to escape.

    Besides that periodical security review of these installations is also carried out to further strengthen and update the security aspects, sources said.

    Earlier a high level committee of the army has suggested measures to strengthen security of various military establishments. “The new strategy on part of militants like targeting vital installations may be a move to inflict more casualties on forces besides damaging the establishments as well. So the committee reviewed the security of vital installations and suggested various measures to the concerned agencies,” an army official said. (KNS)

  • BJP uploads photographs of innocent Kashmiri girls, Presented them as Mahila Morcha workers

    Sopore: Dozens of girls from Tarzoo Sopore village of North Kashmir’s Baramulla district Thursday accused BJP of playing cheap politics and lashed at its woman activist for uploading their pictures of social media networking sites.

    A Press Statement from Bharitiay Janata Party on Wednesday had claimed that party held a Mahila Morcha meeting at Tarzoo Sopore that was organized by District Mahila Morcha President Baramulla Mrs Arifa Jan while Chief Guest was District President BJP Baramulla DK Nehru.

    “A couple of people along with a woman Arifa Jan from Dhobiwan village entered into our house promising to set up a ‘Cutting and Tailoring’ Centre for the girls. My three sisters called other girls from neighborhood. Even our relative Ghulam Hasan was accompanying them who first introduced them as Social Welfare employees and then informed us that they are party leaders from BJP and they have talked to Social Welfare Department for setting up a Cutting and Tailoring’ Centre for girls in the village,” Danish Ahmed Bhat, the brother of three sisters told news agency CNS. (CNS)


        He said that Arif Jan, took some photographs of the girls from her cell phone. When girls objected, she said photographs are for record purposes.


        “The girls were so upset, even one of my sisters tried to end her life when they saw their photographs have gone viral on the social media, while netizens abusing them freely,” Bhat said adding BJP played with the honour of these girls and the main culprit is BJP worker Arifa Jan.


        The girls said they will register an FIR against the BJP workers. “We were cheated by them particularly by Arifa Jan. We talked to them after they assured ‘Cutting and Tailoring’ Centre for them but they presented us as BJP Mahila Morcha workers,” the victims said and requested netizens not to abuse them on social media. (CNS)

  • Weather forecast for tomorrow

    Forecast for next 24 hours: Light to moderate Rain/Snow will occur at many places over the state.

    Outlook for subsequent 2 days: Scattered to Isolated Rain/Snow

    Local forecast of Srinagar:

    Moderate RAIN/SNOW. Maximum & Minimum temperatures will be around 07 & -4.0oC respectively.

    Local forecast of Jammu:

    Light RAIN/THUNDERSHOWERS. Maximum & Minimum temperatures will be around 15°C & 03°C respectively.

    Local forecast of Leh:

    Light SNOW. Maximum & Minimum temperatures will be around 01 C & -15°C respectively.

  • Dineshwar Sharma says after Governor NN Vohra’s appeal, ball now in separatists’ court

    Srinagar: Two days after the Governor NN Vohra asked separatists in Kashmir to talk to GOI’s special envoy, Dineshwar Sharma on Thursday said that the ball is now in the court of the separatists.

    Talking to KNS from New Delhi over phone, Dineshwar Sharma said that he will be visiting Jammu and Kashmir by the mid of January and will continue to talk to the people of different shades of opinion for the sustainable peace in the state. “I am visiting the state again by January 15 and this will be my first visit of the year 2018 to Jammu and Kashmir. I haven’t chalked out any strategy yet but this is for sure that I am coming to Kashmir this month,” Sharma told KNS.

    Reacting over the recent appeal by the Governor NN Vohra to separatists in Kashmir to talk to GOI’s special envoy, Sharma said he has already offered dialogue with the separatists and that the ball now lies in their court only. “Now the separatists have to decide when they can talk. I have already made an offer to them,” Shama said.

    Earlier, while addressing the joint session of the state legislature in Jammu ahead of the Budget session on January 2, the state governor NN Vohra had, in his address, asked the separatists to come forward and talk to Sharma. (KNS)

     

  • Fidayeen used armour-piercing bullets in Lethpora attack: report

    This is for the first time that such bullets have been used in any militant attack across India, India Today reported

    In what could send security agencies in a tizzy in Jammu and Kashmir, the three militants who carried out Fidayeen attack in Lethpora on December 31 had used bullets that pierced the body armour of the troopers.

    This is for the first time that such bullets have been used in any militant attack across India, India Today reported.

    Quoting Inspector General of paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Ravideep Sahi, the report said that three Jaish-e-Mohammed Fidayeens who attacked the CRPF installation in Pulwama had used steel-core bullets, which can pierce body armour.

    “The bullet pierced the shield and hit him (trooper). Though the CRPF personnel killed the attacker, we lost one man,” Sahi said.

    The hardened steel penetrator, encased usually in a copper jacket, in such bullets is a pointed mass of high-density material which retains its shape and strikes the target with maximum energy, said the report.

    “In fact, one of the bullets penetrated the bullet-proof gypsy of the Assistant Commandant hitting a CRPF man,” mentioned the report.

    The bullets, according to the report, have been sent for forensic examination.

    The bullets used in the Pulwama attack, which are undergoing forensic tests outside the state, have set alarm bells ringing in the security establishment.

    The use of armour-piercing rounds by militants could be a major security nightmare as several VIPS use bulletproof vehicles, added the report.

    In the attack, three militants and five CRPF men were killed. Three troopers were in the firefight that lasted 36-hours.

  • JKP purchased 18,100 bullet-proof jackets, 550 vehicles in 2017

    “As many as 18,100 bullet-proof jackets and 550 different vehicles, which also include bullet-proof vehicles, have been purchased by the police department during the year 2017 for the safe and secure mobility of officers and jawans in the state.”

    Jammu: Over 18,000 bullet-proof jackets and 550 vehicles were purchased by Jammu and Kashmir Police during the year 2017, JK Director General of Police (DGP), S P Vaid said here Wednesday.

    He added that over 23,000 bullet-proof patkas (turbans) were also purchased during that period.

    “As many as 18,100 bullet-proof jackets and 550 different vehicles, which also include bullet-proof vehicles, have been purchased by the police department during the year 2017 for the safe and secure mobility of officers and jawans in the state”, Vaid said.

    The DGP said 18,100 bullet-proof jackets have been purchased by the police department in 2017, and that 6,100 of them have already been received and distributed.

    Similarly, of the 23,000 bullet proof patkas purchased, according to Vaid, they have distributed 7,500 out of the 12,000 received so far.

    Vaid also informed about the Ministry of Home Affairs granting approximately Rs 2400 crore for construction of police colonies of in Srinagar (3000 quarters) and Jammu (2000 quarters).

  • Maths Teacher Volunteers to Teach Poor and Orphaned Students in Old Srinagar

    SRINAGAR: At a time when coaching institutes are charging hefty amounts from students, a teacher from Nawa Kadal locality of Srinagar is providing free coaching to students from poor backgrounds, even though he has to pay a heavy rent for the tuition centres.

    Muneer Ahmad Changoo, 32, began to offer free tuitions to poor students in Nawa Kadal soon after he finished his studies. Now he runs two centres, one in Nawa Kadal and another in Soura, where he teaches around 70 students for free.

    “I started teaching poor and orphan students because I still remember my childhood days when my family could not pay for my tuitions,” Changoo told Kashmir Reader.

    “My father worked as a casual labourer, his earning was spent on daily requirements of the family. My mother would earn two rupees from needle work and she would spend this amount on my studies.”

    Changoo says that most of the students from poor backgrounds have a desire to achieve something in their life. “I don’t consider my initiative as charity. My aim is to provide them education in a way similar to those who can afford coaching,” he said.

    Changoo first started offering tuitions at his home in Nawakadal, but as the number of students increased, he hired a large room in his locality. Later in 2010 he took another room on rent in Soura.

    “I have many students from Soura, Ganderbal and adjoining localities. They cannot reach Nawa Kadal and many times due to shutdown and stone-pelting they suffered, so I hired another room in Soura for which I pay Rs 30,000 rent yearly.”

    For the two rooms, Changoo has to shell out Rs 70,000 yearly from his pocket.

    He serves as head of mathematics department at Presentation Convent School Srinagar. Besides, he teaches at another private coaching centre in Bemina where he is paid.

    He says, more than 500 students have availed free coaching from him so far. His students also find his teaching techniques different.

    Mahira Fayaz, a BCA student, says she was asked to pay Rs 8000 by a coaching center in Srinagar. The amount was unaffordable as Fayaz’s house was damaged in a fire incident last year.

    “I had decided to quit studies because I was unable to afford tuition fee. One can arrange notes and prepare for other subjects but in Mathematics a mentor is a must,” she said. “I was frustrated but once I heard about this centre I spoke to the teacher and he welcomed me. I have been here from last year and he has not charged a single penny,” she said. For Sehrish Jan, a commerce undergraduate, Changoo is a savior. The 20-year-old once belonged to a financially sound family, but that was before her father fell ill.

    “My father is suffering from nephrology ailments. He is undergoing dialysis thrice in a week that costs around Rs 25,000. I cannot afford to pay tuition fees,” she said.

    Shakir Nissar, a former student says that Changoo once arranged late evening classes for students of XII standard and he was one among them.

    Changoo says winning the hearts of students is his achievement in life.

    “In 2015, we had an emergency. A family member required 16 pints of blood. I was so much depressed and worried how I could manage 16 pints of blood but within one hour, I saw a queue of my students, ready to denote their blood,” Changoo said.

    Changoo wants other teachers to follow suit so that no one terminates studies midway. He also has a request for the government.

    “I don’t want to take anyone’s help but I want to appeal the government that registration of tuition centers, which are solely run on voluntary basis and not for commercial purposes, must not be made compulsory,” he said.

    Courtesy: Kashmir reader

  • Veteran Congress leader, Ex MLA Banihal Akthar Nizami dies

    SRINAGAR: Veteran Congress Leader and Ex- MLA Banihal & Ramban Mohd Akthar Nizami who was admitted to SKIMS Srinagar died today. The Ex-MLA breathed his last around 6 pm on Wednesday evening. Akthar Nizami joined politics in the year 1965 and in 1967 on NC’s ticket he won assembly election from Banihal Constituency. In 1972 he left NC & Joined Congress and won from Ramban Constituency. Nizami was classmate of NC Patron Dr Farooq Abdullah and close friend of Member Parliament Dr Karan Singh. His condition worsened with doctors putting him on ventilator support on Wednesday. Nizami’s grand son Salman Nizami is also in Congress & at present active on National politics. Akthar Nizami is survived by his wife and three daughters. The deceased leader will be laid to rest in Rajbagh, Srinagar.