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Srinagar: National Conference president Farooq Abdullah was declared elected to the Lok Sabha from Srinagar defeating his nearest rival, Nazir Ahmad Khan of the PDP, by a margin of 10,776 votes giving a blow to the ruling coalition in the state.Out of the total 89,883 votes polled, 88,951 were found valid while 932 voters used the NOTA option, an official spokesman said here after the counting of votes was completed at the highly guarded Sher-e-Kashmir International Conference Centre (SKICC) here today. The byelection to the Srinagar parliamentary constituency was held on April 9 recording an overall poll percentage of 7.14 per cent, while re-poll was held in 38 polling stations of Budgam on April 13 with a turnout of 2.02 per cent. The overall turnout was recorded at the lowest-ever of 7.09 per cent.Farooq, the joint candidate of the National Conference and Congress polled 48,555 votes while Nazir Khan polled 37,779 votes. Other candidates, Bikram Singh of J&K Liberal Democratic Party polled 497 votes, Chetan Sharma of Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Mahasabha polled 198 votes, Sajad Reshi of Rashtriya Samajwadi Party (S) polled 155 votes and Independent candidates Sajjad Hussain Beigh, Ghulam Hassan Dar, Farooq Ahmad Dar and Mehraj Khurshid Malik polled 363, 199, 630 and 575 votes, respectively.Out of the total 974 migrant votes polled, 952 votes were found valid. Out of these, the NC candidate polled 184 votes and PDP candidate got 703 votes. Bikram Singh of J&K Liberal Democratic Party polled 20 votes, Chetan Sharma of Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Mahasabha polled 5 votes, Sajad Reshi of Rashtriya Samajwadi Party (S) 23 votes and independent candidates Sajjad Hussain Beigh, Ghulam Hassan Dar, Farooq Ahmad Dar and Mehraj Khurshid Malik polled nil, four, five and seven votes respectively. Twentytwo migrant voters used the NOTA option. (TNS)

Srinagar: Protests erupted in several parts of the Kashmir valley on Friday afternoon as fresh videos of demonstrations during Sunday’s bypoll in the Srinagar parliamentary constituency emerged, showing gruesome visuals of demonstrators getting shot.The protests on Friday afternoon were held outside Jamia Masjid in Srinagar’s old city where members of a separatist group raised slogans and demanded the release of the arrested youth.Another protest was held in north Kashmir’s Sopore town, where youth attempted to take out a march but were intercepted by the security forces, leading to clashes. In south Kashmir’s Tral town too demonstrators clashed with the security forces.The separatist leaders in the region had appealed to the people to congregate today in Budgam district, which has remained tense since seven civilians were killed during the bypoll on April 9.The fresh protests in the region took place as new videos shot during Sunday’s bypoll emerged on social media sites — immediately after all Internet services were restored in the region.The series of videos that have emerged during the past 24 hours have stoked anger as visuals show protesters getting shot outside polling stations.In one video, protesters are seen throwing stones at security forces personnel when one of them gets shot. The video appears to be shot by a member of the polling staff, who are heard saying that the boy “is shot in the head”.Another video that is shot in Srinagar shows a crowd of protesters surging towards a polling station before one of them is shot in the abdomen.Most of the videos have been shot by protesters or pedestrians using their mobile phone cameras. In one video, a group of youth is seen escorting an armed paramilitary soldier to safety.

CM asks police to submit report

Jammu: CM Mehbooba Mufti has expressed concern and anguish over the surfacing of a few videos reportedly from Budgam and has sought a detailed report from the police in this regard. Terming the display of acts in the videos unacceptable, the CM has asked the police to submit a detailed report about the incidents, so that necessary action was initiated.

Tribune News Service

Srinagar: The Army today said it was investigating a video in which a youth was seen tied allegedly to an Army jeep as a human shield against stone-throwing.The video, which went viral on the social media, shows a youth, Farooq Ahmad Dar of Chill-Brass village in Budgam, tied to an Army jeep and used as a human shield against stone-throwers. Army personnel are heard announcing that those indulging in stone-throwing will face similar fate.Meanwhile, Farooq Dar, an artisan, said he was not involved in stone-throwing. “I was riding a bike and was on my way to a relative’s house when the Army stopped me. I was thrashed before they tied me to a jeep and ferried me through various villages for hours. I was released late in the evening,” he said.The Army has initiated investigation to verify the contents of video.The video clip has evoked criticism in the Valley with former CM Omar Abdullah seeking an “urgent probe”.Defence spokesman Col Rajesh Kalia said the video was being verified.

QUOTE

This young man was tied to the front of an Army jeep to make sure no stones were thrown at the jeep. This is just so shocking! I understand the outrage the CRPF video generated. I’m also outraged that the video of the youth on the jeep won’t generate the same anger.  — Omar wrote on Twitter (TNS)

Srinagar: The flood threat caused by the heavy downpour since last three days had given sleepless night to the people of Kashmir as most of residents in the Valley volunteered, without waiting for the government, to fill breaches and strengthen embankments till late Thursday night.
The residents of various areas including Pampore, Lasjan, Bemina and others were strengthening the embankments of river Jehlum passing close their residential houses.
The breach in river Jehlum in the September 2014 had damaged hundreds of houses and property. The government in the late evening had also declared flood due to the increase in the water level.
The people at Pampore who were seen strengthening the embankments of river Jehlum in late hours said that the water level is above the danger level and it seems that one more catastrophe like 2014 will hit the Valley again.
“We (residents) informed people in our area to come out from their homes to strengthen the embankments with sand bags,” residents in Pampore told KNS.
They said that the threat looming among the people has generated due to the failure of the government in completing the dredging process on time. “Despite several assurances, the Kashmiris have been once again left on god’s mercy. The much awaited dredging process should have been completed on time, which could have brought a sigh of relief among the people at this time,” they added.
The people living close to streams was also seen standing on the embankments till late evening looking at the water level which was increasing till the wee hours of Friday morning.
However, the water which was flowing above the danger mark started receding from Friday morning bringing relief to the people.
Chief Engineer Irrigation & Flood Control (I&FC) department, Muhammad Hanief Lone said, “The water in the river Jehlum which was flowing above the danger level is receding since this morning. (KNS)

Srinagar: After two days of flood threat, the water level in the river Jhelum and other streams is receding relieving the valleyites woes. However, the weatherman has predicted more light rains in the next 24 hours.
Chief Engineer Irrigation & Flood Control (I&FC) department, Muhammad Hanief Lone said that the people should not panic as the water level in the river and other tributaries is receding.
“The water in the river Jhelum, which was flowing above the danger level till yesterday night, is receding fromFriday morning. There is no need to panic now as water level is decreasing quickly,” Lone told KNS.
He said that the water level recorded at Sangam in Anantnag was 19.25 while at Ram Munshi Bagh in Srinagar was 19.80 in the afternoon.
Meanwhile, the weatherman said that a weak Western Disturbances, which create clouds and precipitation over Himalayan mountain range, are still prevailing over the Valley, which may result in intermittent light rainfall at many places over the next 24 hours.
“There is possibility of occasional sunshine as well,” an official of the Meteorological (MeT) department told KNS.
The official said that weather will be dry from Sunday morning till Tuesday, with light precipitation likely to occur as “isolated” places in Kashmir on Saturday. For two days on Wednesday and Thursday, light rain may occur are isolated places as Western Disturbance is likely to hit Valley after Apr 13 onwards.
Meanwhile, the Srinagar-Jammu highway continued to remain closed for vehicular movement due to the slippery conditions of roads triggered by the heavy downpour from past three days.
An official in the traffic department said that highway was closed for today as well due to slippery conditions of roads at Ramban.
“Men and machinery has been pressed to clear the roads. The decision to reopen the highway will be taken after the work will be completed,” the official informed KNS. (KNS)

Srinagar: Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and assured all possible help.

“Spoke to J&K CM @MehboobaMufti on the flood situation in the state. Offered all possible support from Centre in dealing with the situation,” PM Modi tweeted.