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Srinagar: Police on Thursday claimed to have arrested five persons who torched a school after “hatching a conspiracy at a medical shop” in Pattan area of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district.

Govt Middle School Tapper Pattan was torched during the intervening night of 26 and 27 October.

“Case FIR number 272 of 2016 under section 436 RPC was registered in Police Station Pattan and investigation taken up,” said a spokesman.

During the investigation, he said, it surfaced that the conspiracy regarding the incident was hatched at the medical shop of Ajaz Ahmad Parra @ Ajaz Medicate son of Ghulam Mohammad Parra with Omar Parra @ Omar Kasaie son of Mohammad Amin Parra, Shabir Pandit @ Bulbul son of Ghulam Mohammad Pandit and Bashir Ahmad Hajam son of Ghulam Hassan Hajam all residents of Hamray Pattan.

“These people have arranged petrol from a petrol pump and later on stored that in plastic bottles and gave the same to Naveed Ahmad son of Ghulam Nabi @ Naba Tension resident of Tapper, Adil Ahmad Parra @ Adil Doda son of Bilal Ahmad Parra and Usman @ Babloo son of Ghulam Hassan Parray @ Hassan Joker – all residents of Tapper Pattan who at around 1.30 am executed their plan and set the school building on fire,” said the spokesman.

“These individuals who are known stone pelters and are  wanted in  many stone pelting cases, had kept some of  the petrol bottles in an apple orchard for creating the panic in  future by burning the vehicles and other government buildings.”

The motive behind this act of these miscreants was to create an atmosphere of fear and to ensure that schools continue to remain closed, he said.

“The above named Omer Kasaie had also threatened the school staff, who thereafter had shifted the school record to some safe location without though informing the Police (sic).”

“All the above named accused persons except Naveed and Usman have been arrested and at the instance of Omar Kasaie and Adil Doda, some petrol bottles were recovered from the apple orchard near Tapper. Further investigation in the case is going on.  The other accused involved in this incident have also been identified and manhunt has been launched to nab them.”

Srinagar: To force Zee Media to remove its Assistant Producer Jagruti Shukla for her communal remarks on social media against Muslims, Dalits and Sikhs, a petition at change.org has attracted 2439 supporters.   

   Petitions created on change.org have resulted in victories on many different issues so far and this time too, petitioner Deep Singh from United States of America is sure that Zee Media will initiate action against the Journalist who spews venom.

    Recently on Twitter under the hashtag UnitedAgainstTerror, Jagruti Shukla spewed venom against the people of Kashmir that attracted the attention of millions of users on social media including facebook, whatsapp and twitter who demanded action against her under law. However, there are few also who supported her views. On her Twitter handle she wrote: “If we need to commit genocide in Kashmir Valley to get rid of all these terrorists and their aides, then let us do it.” The post that invited mixed responses according to Kashmir based news agency CNS was shared by thousands across the world particularly in Kashmir Valley. 

    “Such individuals should not be part of any media house, or for that matter of fact any organization for they smack of political, religious and intellectual bias. I am amazed Zee News hasn’t acted on their own,” responded Jaskrit Singh Nagra a netizen from Chandigarh India. 

      A Kashmir based news page wrote that: “the problem with this tweet is not that she (Jagruti Shukla) openly endorses genocide. This is nothing new. We Kashmiris know inherently that the Indian collective conscience is satisfied by nothing less than Kashmiri blood. This lady is a journalist with Zee TV. Yes, Zee the nationalist puppy-mill which give their people a thing called news, and for those who want to pretend all is well.”

    Shukla according to petition has also hurt the sentiments of the Dalits and Sikhs as well.

    While responding to a Dalit she wrote: “U can say wteva (whatever) you like. I say that you are a Dalit apologist. And a backward regressive moron. No go clean toilets lol”

    As per the petitioner In 1984, thousands of Sikhs were brutally slaughtered in a government-orchestrated genocide.  Showing no shame for the untold loss of live, she blames the innocents for their own deaths, thus engaging in both genocide denial and tacit approval. On August 10, 2016 she wrote: “Sikhs deserved that. What do you expect when you breed hate? They killed Hindus for nothing.  Although I don’t support genocide.”

    Many Muslims suffer ill-treatment in India, with the Gujarat massacre in 2002 being a more blatant manifestation.  To a random twitter follower, after identifying his “Muslim-sounding” name, she engaged in vile Islamophobia. Jagruti Shukla wrote, “I read your name. No wonder you sympathize with those Terrorists. #SIMI #Bhopal By the way, which #Madarssa did you you go to? The education is evident lol”

    “We are calling on Zee Media to distance yourself from bigotry, casteism, Islamophobia, communalism and genocide and remove Jagrati Shukla,” read the online petition. 

Srinagar: Authorities have left hundreds of flood victims in lurch as the aggrieved are running from pillar to post to get rehabilitation package from Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF) and Prime Minister’s Development Package (PMDP).
The devastated floods hit most parts of Srinagar city in September 2014.
“More than one year has passed and we are yet to receive rehabilitation package. Whatever we have received was provided by the then Omar-led government,” a delegation of flood victims told KNS.
They added authorities have also ignored the plight of flood victims.
“Earlier, they (District administration) used to tell us that rehabilitation amounts would be transferred to our bank accounts shortly. Now, we are being kicked out from the offices. The officials tell us to go and ask Chief Minister about the status of their cases,” said another group of flood victims from Sonwar.
The aggrieved victims accused government of ‘criminal silence’ over the matter, adding, “The Ministers are getting their monthly salaries, enjoying government cavalcades and official residences. Have we elected them to enjoy luxuries or to redress our grievances?”
“It is because of anti-people behavoiur of ministers that now civil administration is not listening to the general public. Whenever, we try to call on concerned officials in their offices to apprise them about our plight and appeal for release of rehabilitation package, every time we are asked to come some other day as Sahab (Officer) is meeting,” they rued.
The flood victims said that if it was possible for divisional administration to dispose of lakhs of cases of flood victims within a week during Governor’s rule, “Why is it that during the present regime, the victims are even denied to know the status of their long pending cases and call on concerned officials.”
“It was now easier for the present elected government to dispose off the left out cases as most of the cases were disposed off by the divisional administration on the directions of Governor during Governor’s rule in the state. What is this elected government doing?” they questioned.
They said that the PDP, during election campaigning for last assembly polls were on forefront to plead the cases of flood victims. “Have it forgotten its all promises and assurances it issued to us. Now, why is our plight being ignored,” they said.
Soon after receding of flood waters, the then Omar Abdullah-led government had released Rs 75,000 each in favour of those whose houses were completely damaged while owners of severely and partially damaged houses received Rs 12500 and Rs 3800 respectively. The process was also expedited by the civil administrations as the then Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had ‘warned’ deputy commissioners to release payments to flood victims without any delay or pack their bags.
Later, the then Mufti-led government announced release of second installment for the rehabilitation offlood victims. This amount was to be disbursed from Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF) and third installment from Prime Minister’s Development Package (PMDP). However, large numbers of flood victims are yet to receive their due amount from PMNRF and PMDP till date. (KNS)

Srinagar: Chairman All Parties Hurriyat Conference, Syed Ali Geelani expressed his deep sorrow and shock over the death of 90 year old senior politician Mr. Mangat Ram Sharma. While remembering the days spend with him in assembly, Geelani Sahab said that he had brotherly relations with him. He often used to say that “Kashmir issue will live till Geelani is alive”. He further that he supported our stand of ban on liquor and other social issues. While condoling the bereaved family Geelani Sahab said that I have lost a good and critic friend whom I will remember for long.

‘Onus lies on Secretaries to ensure full attendance’

Srinagar: The Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti has asked secretaries of all the departments to intensify the crackdown on government employees who are found absent in their offices.
Sources said that the Chief Minister has taken cognizance of some official reports which say that there has been no visible improvement in attendance in some government offices in Kashmir valley.
Sources told KNS that Mehbooba Mufti held a detailed meeting over the functioning of government offices in the state especially in the valley. “During the meeting it was informed that a large number of employees are not attending their offices, following which the CM instructed all the administrative secretaries to ask employees to report immediately to their duties, failing which action as warranted under rules should be initiated against them,” sources quoting meeting said.
Sources said that Chief Minister has said that onus lies on the Secretaries to ensure the full attendance of employees and make employees more work-oriented.
Sources further said that the CM has cautioned Secretaries against any “slippages” in this regard, “You should review the situation on a sustained basis. Even I am getting regular reports from my ministers that a number of employees are not coming to the offices,” according to sources, CM said.
According to the government officials, since the unrest began in the valley on July 8, a large number of officials including several senior officers continuously prefer to keep away from their offices, while some from Kashmir have flown to Jammu without prior permission.
Sources said that the CM has also asked the authorities to constitute a Joint team of officials to keep a check on attendance of employees.
Sources also said that the CM has also asked all deputy commissioners (DCs) and superintendents of police (SPs) to remain punctual and give maximum time to redressing the grievances of people promptly.
Sources said that the Chief Minister has also directed that all key members of the bureaucracy including those serving in the secretariat or in the field including commissioners, deputy commissioners, Directors should not leave their areas/jurisdiction without prior approval of the government.
Meanwhile sources said that the chief minister has also desired to implement the development projects on schedule for which the CM wants clear-cut time lines to monitor the progress of development projects. (KNS)

Asks Geelani to draw clauses for unity, form Apex Hurriyat Committee

Srinagar: The jailed Hurriyat leader Dr Qasim Faktoo today asked that the alliance forged between Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik six months ago needs to be strengthened and made permanent.

He said the resistance movement needs this unity even after the current proactive phase of the movement reaches its conclusion.

“India is working on both long term and short term plans with respect to Kashmir. These include crushing the freedom sentiment of the masses through the use of brute force and alongside it changing the Muslim majority demography of the state. To resist these evil Indian designs and to inculcate a proactive character in our struggle this unity in our leadership needs to be protected and strengthened,” he said, in a handout here.

Faktoo said, “We request these three leaders to christen this unity as ‘Apex Hurriyat Committee ‘to make it permanent. It is our request that noted legal luminary and pro freedom leader Mian Abdul Qayoom should be included as the fourth member of this committee,” he said.

He said Geelani knows well that those among his forum who are against this unity are not even his well-wishers.

“They are some small time people dreaming of rising to the highest chairs. Mirwaiz will be facing the most pressure as some of the members of his forum have overtly and covertly raised voices against any unity but Mirwaiz knows well that these people who are pressurizing him are known in the masses as advisers of Indian rulers and are politically nonexistent,” he said.

He requested Geelani Mirwaiz and Malik to write down clauses for unity so that whosoever heads the factions of Hurriyat and JKLF in future become members of this Apex Hurriyat Committee automatically. (PTK)

SRINAGAR: Minister of Education, Naeem Akhtar, today asked the school and college authorities to expedite the establishment of herbal gardens, so that a new breed of entrepreneurs will come out of such educational institutes.

The Minister said this while addressing a meeting to review development of herbal gardens in educational institutes at Women’s College here.

The meeting was attended MD JKPDC, Dr. Shah Faisel, College Principals, J&K Medicinal Plant Board representative and other concerned officials.

The Minister said that the State with its unique geography has enormous potential in medicinal plants. He said that Education Department in liaison with State Medicinal Plant Board can show the way forward in this regard. He offered the surplus land in schools and colleges to be developed as herbal garden.

It was said that in the first instance, 100 educational institutes will have the exclusive herbal gardens.

On the occasion, the Minister said that every garden will grow one particular specie of medicinal plant. He ordered the education department officials, experts and officials of Medicinal Plant Board to chalk out a business model that will have multi-pronged benefits. He said that number of high value medicinal plants is endangered and best way to conserve them is to commercialize these species.

In a power point presentation, the research officers of SMPB said that the world trade in herbal raw material is over $120 billion and the State has a huge potential in this sector. He informed the meeting that there are various schemes with huge subsidies for establishment of herbal gardens at home, institution and at a mega levels.

The Minister asked the officials to immediately start work for establishment of herbal gardens at Bandipora, Kishtwar, Lolab and other colleges that are near to forests. He said that these colleges would act as nurseries and provide plant material to other schools and colleges as well.

A decision was also taken in the meeting to organize awareness sessions in every college by the officials of SMPB.

Srinagar: The Independent lawmaker and MLA Langate Er Rashid on Thursday was denied permission to meet the agitating detunes in Baramulla sub-jail by the jail authorities.

In a statement issued this evening, he said, “there can be nothing inhuman than beating prisoners inside jail, keeping them locked like animals and denying them food and other basic immunities.”

“Government must understand that they are political prisoners and not criminals and under all circumstances and laws their rights need to be protected. It is shameful that the said jail superintendent has been herself involved in insulting, abusing and torturing prisoners, leaving dozens injured,” he said.

The erstwhile civil engineer Rashid justified the hunger strike by detunes and said that any delay in resolving the issue may deteriorate situation further.

He accused the jail superintendent Ms Rajini Sighal of “doing all this just to give a cover to her corruption cases and other misdeeds she is known for”. “The said officer is known for her communal approach and hurting the sentiments of detunes inside jails.”

Rashid said, “it seems that getting cue from Bhopal ‘fake’ encounter, in which seven detunes were killed, there is every possibility that somewhere in J&K authorities may repeat Bhopal massacre.” Eight SIMI unarmed members were killed in Bhopal by police and there are calls for investigation in to the incident.

However, he warned the jail superintendent of dire consequences if she did not mend her behaviour.