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Srinagar, Oct 6: Scores of people including National Conference President Dr Farooq Abdullah and Apni Party founder Syed Altaf Bukhari Wednesday visited the house of slain pharmacist Makhan Lal Bindroo’s house to express solidarity with the family.

Bindroo was shot dead yesterday late evening by unidentified gunmen outside his shop located near Iqbal Park Srinagar.

Farooq Abdullah said that his killing has shocked the entire Kashmir community as the deceased was an out and out gentleman and helpful towards people. “He never left Kashmir Valley and stayed back even when militancy was at its peak,” he said.

Apni Party President Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari along with State Youth President & Mayor Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) Junaid Azim Mattu also visited the house of Bindroo located at Indira Nagar Sonwar.

Bukhari said that Mr. Bindroo was a great person who even in hard times continued to serve the people of the valley by providing healthcare services to them. His killing is a huge tragedy that cannot be described in words.

He said that the forces inimical to peace are hell-bent to create a wedge between the communities who have a history of pluralistic ethos and have been living harmoniously since ages across Jammu and Kashmir.

Apni Party Youth President Junaid Azim Mattu also expressed deep shock and grief over the incident and expressed solidarity with the Bindroo family, its friends, relatives and acquaintances.

While talking to reporters, Dr Sidhart-the son deceased said that his father lived a dignified life who was helpful, people friendly and man of principal.

The daughter of Bindroo-Dr Shardah advised stone-pelters and gunmen to seek education and stop targeting innocent people. Visibly shocked and emotionally charged-Dr Shardah who declined to talk to local media told the reporters from national media that due to lack of education the Kashmiri stone-pelters and gunmen resort to barbaric killings. She said they should fight with education and not with gun and stones. (KNT)

MAKKAH – The General Presidency for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques has taken a number of steps to improve accessibility to differently abled worshipers and pilgrims in Masjid Al Haram, Makkah.

The Presidency introduced a number of services dedicated to improve the experience of the worshipers to make their pilgrimage and experience in the Mosque a smooth one.

The steps taken include:

Reservation of Certain Areas in Masjid Al Haram for differently abled worshipers where their needs could be catered specifically
Areas will be equipped with special copies of the Quran, for people who require assistance in hearing or seeing.
Introduction of translating the weekly Jumu’ah Khutbah in sign language for people requiring this service along with translation of Jumu’ah Khutbah in different languages.
Special Wheelchair accessibility from the courtyards to first floor of the Mosque for performance of Tawaaf.

For people with hearing disabilities worldwide the Jumu’ah Khutbah is translated into sign language on ‘Quran Channel’.

Ashok Koul expresses condolences to bereaved famililes

Srinagar, Oct 05: Jammu and Kashmir Bharatiya Janata Party General Secretary (Organization) Ashok Koul Tuesday condemned the innocents killing of senior chemist, vendor and a civilian in Kashmir, and termed it ‘barbaric’.

Koul termed the killings as barbaric and offered his condolences to the families in this time of grief. He termed the attacks as a cowardly act by the militants and Pakistan sponsored agencies.

“We strongly condemned the killing of these innocent civilians including ML Bindroo, who was the most respectable person in Srinagar, those who are responsible for this will not be spared,” Koul said.

He said militants are innocents’ civilians but they did not that every person is ready to give sacrifice for this country.

He said such acts are barbaric and highly condemnable. These things would not be tolerated anymore. These attacks are aimed to disturb the peace in the region,” Koul said.

The senior leader termed the incident as very unfortunate and urged police to investigate the cases and nab the culprits behind the attack.

“We stand by the families of slain at this difficult situation. Those who are responsible would not achieve anything,” Koul said.

BJP Kashmir’s In-charge Manzoor Bhat said this inferior act reflects the frustration level of the terrorists.

“Kashmirat is ashamed. How many will they and people not fear by such acts? Nothing will be achieved by such tactics,” he said.

Bhat urged police to nab the culprits and bring them under the frame of law.

“If the culprits will be punished, then in the future, such acts will not occur. Police should play a vital role in nabbing the culprits. The inquiry should be done on a fast track basis,” he said.

Srinagar, Oct 05: The government of Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday relieved retried IAS officer Baseer Ahmad Khan from the post of Advisor to Lt. Governor Jammu and Kashmir.

An order, a copy of which lies with Kashmir Today stated that as per a communication received from the ministry of Home Affairs, government of India, Baseer Khan has been relieved as Advisor to LG Sinha.

“Pursuant to communication No. 15030/40/2019-J&K dated 4th October, 2021, of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, Shri Baseer Ahmad Khan (Retired IAS: 2000) is hereby relieved from the post of Advisor to the lieutenant Governor, Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir, with immediate effect,” it reads.

Police seal areas, launch massive manhunt to nab attackers

Srinagar/Bandipora, Oct 05: Barely two days after the killing of two civilians in Srinagar, unknown gunmen killed a famous Chemist and a non-J&K vendor in two separate attacks in the city and also in northern district of Bandipora where a Sumo driver was killed.

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Official sources told news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that unknown gunmen fired at a famous chemist Bindroo, 68, when he was at his shop near Iqbal Park area of Srinagar, at around 7 pm. They said that Bindroo, was bleeding profusely, and was shifted to nearby SMHS hospital, but he died on the way.

“Bindroo had multiple bullet injuries. He was brought dead to the hospital,” Dr Kanwaljeet Singh, Medical Superintendent SMHS hospital, Srinagar, told KNO.

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Kashmir zone police tweeted that “militants fired at the owner of Bindroo Medicate namely Makhan Lal Bindroo near Iqbal Park, Srinagar. He was shifted to hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. Area has been cordoned off and search for militants is going on.”

At around 7:45 pm, unknown gunmen struck in Lalbazar area of Srinagar and shot dead a non-J&K vendor. A police official said that the gunmen, suspected to be militants, shot at a road-side vendor, who died on the spot. Police identified the slain was Virender Paswan, a resident of Bihar, present living in a rented accommodation at Alamgari Bazar area of old city.

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Today’s killing is third since October 2 when unknown gunmen killed a civilian Abdul Majid Guroo, a resident of Chattabal and also another civilian Muhammad Shafi Dar, a resident of Batamaloo in Srinagar. While police was laying cordon in Iqbal Park and Alamgari Bazar areas of city, unknown gunmen shot at unknown gunmen shot dead another civilian at Shahgund, Hajin area of northern district of Bandipora at around 8 pm.

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Block Medical Officer Hajin Dr Aijaz Ahmed told news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that Muhammad Shafi alias Sonu was brought dead to the Community Health Centre Sumbal. Sources said that slain was president of Sumo drivers Association Naidkhai. “He had gone to Shahgund to meet his relative,” they said. Meanwhile, police cordoned the area and launched a manhunt to nab the attackers. Pertinently, all three civilians were killed within a span of just one hour—(KNO)

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Srinagar, Oct 5: Over 66% people believe that only regional parties can safeguard the interest and credibility of people of Jammu and Kashmir while majority of the people has said no to national party emergence in Jammu and Kashmir, says a ‘Gulistan News’ Survey.

An official from the ‘Gulistan News’ told News Agency Kashmir News Trust that it did a mood of the erstwhile state survey to gauge the people’s mood on different issues.

Elections may be the top concern of the present dispensation, and as many as 66.6 per cent people feel the elections for BDC and DDC were good for the village level development but being disempowered these representatives are unable to deliver the goods. The same percentage of people believe that regional parties are far better than national parties when it comes to the safeguarding the interest and credibility of the people.

The ‘Gulistan News’ survey findings suggest that only 1% people feel that annulment of special status of Jammu and Kashmir will matter whenever elections will take place. 33.8% believe that Farooq Abdulla can prove an effective Chief Minister followed by Ghulam Nabi Azad (25%), Jitendra Singh (11.5%), Mehbooba Mufti (9.1%) and Syed Muhammad Altaf Bukhari (3%).

The survey claims that education, development and corruption are the major issues at this juncture. 63.3% people believe that development will be top issue during the elections followed by education 56% and corruption 45%.

At a time when almost every political party demand restoration of statehood, over 79% people feel that statehood is their right and it should be restored.

The Gulistan News survey reached out to 62,000 respondents across Jammu and Kashmir, covering all important constituencies. (KNT)

Srinagar, Oct 05: With the onset of flu season amid Covid-19 pandemic, Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) on Tuesday urged authorities to make influenza testing kits available in Kashmir.

“Covid and flu have similar symptoms and it is hard to diagnose which condition you have based on your symptoms alone,” said DAK President and influenza expert Dr Nisar ul Hassan.

“Testing is the only way to differentiate flu from Covid,” he said.

Dr Hassan said we need to test for both flu and Covid to know which viral infection a person has so that he or she can receive timely and appropriate treatment.

“Testing for both viruses will give public health officials important information how flu and Covid is spreading and what preventive steps should be taken to reduce transmission rates,” he said.

“At the moment our labs have test kits for Covid only and don’t have kits for influenza,” Dr Hassan said.

“Many patients who come to hospitals with febrile respiratory illnesses need to be tested for influenza, but due to non-availability of flu kits they end up on getting misdiagnosed,” he said.

The DAK President said last two flu seasons we saw very low levels of influenza due to social distancing, reduced travel, remote work and other mitigation measures in place because of Covid-19 pandemic.

“But unlike last two years, this year’s flu season could be severe as students are returning to schools, workplaces are transitioning back to in-person operation and many people have thrown caution to the wind,” he said.

“With almost no flu in circulation over last two seasons, there would be lower levels of natural immunity to the flu than usually seen,” said Dr Nisar.

“This means we could have more flu cases this year,” he said.

“We can’t be complacent about flu which can alone cause lot of trouble and with Covid-19 still raging, two together can wreak havoc,” he added.

New Delhi, Oct 5: Union Home Minister Amit Shah is likely to visit Jammu and Kashmir later this month as part of the central government”s mega outreach programme, officials said on Tuesday.

Shah will visit both regions of the Union Territory — Kashmir and Jammu — and the tour may take place from October 23 to 25.

The home minister is likely to visit Jammu and Kashmir this month as part of the government”s mega outreach programme under which 70 Union ministers are visiting the UT, an official from the ministry said.

During his trip, Shah will visit remote areas of the Kashmir Valley and the Jammu region, and take stock of various development initiatives.

The home minister also may attend a high-level law and order meeting with senior officials of the UT administration, the police, the paramilitary and the army, another official said.

A number of central ministers have already visited the UT while tours of several others are in the pipeline. (PTI)

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