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Srinagar: A 40-year-old woman, a Covid-19 patient, from Bijbhera Anantnag died at SKIMS Soura late last night, making her the 18th victim of the novel coronavirus in Jammu and Kashmir, officials said on Wednesday.

Nodal officer for coronavirus control at SKIMS, Dr G H Yatoo told GNS that the woman was admitted from last few days in the isolation ward of the tertiary care hospital and had comorbidity.

“She was in isolation after testing positive. She was suffering from acute pancreatitis, having high mortality,” he said.

With her death, the toll due to the coronavirus in Jammu and Kashmir has risen to 18 and 16 of those who died due to the dreaded disease are from Kashmir and two from Jammu division.

The Srinagar district has reported 5 of the deaths, highest in any district, followed by Baramulla 4, Anantnag 4 while one death each has been reported in Bandipora, Budgam, Kulgam, Udhampur, and Jammu. (GNS)

J&K DGP says Junaid was divisional commander of Hizb, 4 security men injured, 73 militants killed this year, mob phone, internet services snapped across Sgr

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Srinagar: Director General of J&K police Dilbagh Singh Tuesday said that the one of the two slain militants of Nawa Kadal encounter have been identified as Hizbul Mujahideen’s divisional commander for Central Kashmir Junaid Sehrai, the son of Tehreek-e-Hurriyat chairman Muhammad Ashraf Sehrai.

Police have identified the second slain militant as Tariq Ahmed Sheikh from Pulwama district of South Kashmir. Sehrai is from Hyderpora area of Srinagar. He originally hails from Kuwpara district. At present, his father is living and was living in Hyderpora area of Srinagar. Junaid, the youngest son of Sehrai, was MBA pass out and joined militancy in March 2018.

Addressing press conference in Srinagar as per the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), DGP Singh said that in the operation that started last night at Nawa Kadal area and culminated this afternoon, Hizbul Mujahideen’s divisional commander for Central Kashmir Junaid Sehrai was killed. “Sehrai was assigned the task of heading Central Kashmir areas,” he said.

The DGP said while replying to a query what were the two slain militants doing in Srinagar, he said that they were tasked to lure youth into militancy and for grenade throwing. “Junaid would hold meetings with the youth and lure them towards militancy,” he said. “Junaid would also operate in Pulwama and Shopain along with his associate Tariq. There were half a dozen FIRs against him.”

The DGP said that Nawa Kadal operation was a clean one as only one residential house caught fire which was controlled immediately. “The first thing we did in the morning was to evacuate the inmates. In that process, two forces personnel—one from CRPF and another from J&KP’s SoG were injured. In the final assault, the remaining militant hurled a grenade in which two CRPF men sustained injured but all the injured are stable,” he said.

Asked how many militants are active in Srinagar, the DGP said that number keeps on floating and in entire Central Kashmir, the number is just 14. About the total active militants in Kashmir at present, he said the number is far less than the last year.

“Not more than 240 militants are active in Kashmir,” he said, adding that 73 militants were killed this year so far and 95 militants and their associates were arrested. Today’s encounter was first after two years in Srinagar. Last encounter was reported in Chattabal area of Srinagar in 2018.

Meanwhile, the authorities had snapped mobile voice call services and disabled mobile internet services on all platforms except BSNL in Srinagar district in the wake of an encounter—(KNO)

Sources say the Chinese had an objection to a critical road construction project north of Pangong Tso. As the construction continued on the Indian side, it resulted in a face-off.

It was a road construction by India that triggered the recent face off in Ladakh leading to a violent clash between Indian and Chinese troops which left many injured on both sides earlier this month.

With a troop build-up on the Chinese side, India also enhanced its defences. The army maintained that things have calmed and there is no face off in Eastern Ladakh now.

As per sources, the Chinese had been objecting to a critical road construction project north of Pangong Tso (lake) that became a flashpoint. The contentious road was well within the Indian territory and far from the Chinese claim, the sources added.

The construction, however, has been halted following violent clashes as tension continues to simmer in the region.

“The Indian stand was that just like the Chinese have built a road in the area under their control we can do it on our side,” said a government source.

Another official privy to the developments said the Chinese had been exerting pressure to stop work on the road for some time but as the construction continued, it resulted in a face off.

With the recent skirmish being a result of infrastructure building by India close to the Line of Actual Control (LAC), the focus could shift to several other road works in areas. These constrictions could become potential flashpoints as India has been enhancing infrastructure in remote areas.

The row

A recent road construction by India close to the India-Nepal-China trijunction has already tuned into a diplomatic row.

Indian Army Chief Gen MM Naravane hinted at China’s role in pushing Nepal to protest against India’s road construction at the Leipulekh pass at 17,000 feet.

“There is a reason to believe that they must have raised these problems, these issues at the behest of someone else. That is very much a possibility,” the army chief said on Friday.

Though Gen Naravane did not name China, it was a hint that Beijing was egging on Nepal to protest.

Troop build-up by China

While the disengagement took place in eastern Ladakh after troops came to blows on May 5 and were involved in a face-off till the morning of May 6, things remain tense in the area as reports indicate a massive troop build up by China on their side not too far away from the point of the standoff.

Chinese publication Global Times reported that Chinese troops have “bolstered border control measures” in the Galwan Valley that faces the point of the face-off.

There was an enhanced deployment in the area from both sides but later there was retreat.

A close watch is being maintained in the Pangong Tso sector of eastern Ladakh now on Chinese activities.

Focus on disputed areas and new flashpoints

After the recent flare-up in north Sikkim and eastern Ladakh between Indian and Chinese troops, the focus is now on the 23 disputed and sensitive spots across the LAC that are considered vulnerable.

Other than these, there could be new flashpoints like the one in Naku La North Sikkim that is not included in the list of disputed sites.

There is an eyeball to eyeball situation in some places in Ladakh, north and east Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh that are extremely vulnerable and could be flashpoints in the near future.

If infrastructure building by India is what irked China, there could be many flashpoints as India has been building roads and carrying out development work on its side close to the Line LAC.

“In fact many face-offs in recent times have happened because of better road connectivity. Our troops have started to reach places that were cut-off earlier. Now with good roads, it is possible to reach these places and come face to face with Chinese troops,” said an official.

Other than Pangong Tso that is extremely sensitive, the other places that are volatile in wake of the recent escalation are Trig Heights, Demchok and Chumar in Ladakh which forms western sector of the India-China frontier.

There are many other vulnerable spots in Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim that fall in the eastern sector.

The middle sector that includes part of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand has one sensitive area.

Army says descalation has taken place

While tensions remain and there are reports of a troop build up not too far away from the face-off point, the Indian Army in a statement earlier said, “Incidents of face-off and aggressive behaviour occur on LAC. Patrols disengage after local level interaction, dialogue. Temporary and short duration face-offs occur as boundary is not resolved. Troops resolve incidents mutually as per protocols.”

The army has also said there is no continuing faceoff at the Pangong Tso in eastern Ladakh and there is no build up of armed troops in the area.

Sources say local commanders from both sides are talking regularly to ensure there is no further escalation and tension can be diffused.

Prior to the recent escalations, there have been other minor face-offs in different sectors but the matters were resolved.

Officials say as the snow melts, chances of face-offs increase in the summer months as patrolling activities increases on both sides.

With inputs from India Today

It’s aimed at changing demography, they say

The National Conference (NC) and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) on Tuesday rejected the J&K Reorganisation (Adaptation of State Laws) Order, 2020, and the J&K Grant of Domicile Certificate ( Procedure) Rules 2020, saying “it was aimed at changing the demography of the erstwhile State of J&K”.

An NC spokesman said the amended domicile law was made in exercise of power under the J&K Reorganization Act 2019, “which stands challenged in number of petitions before the Supreme Court”.

“With the constitutional validity of the Act impugned and the petitions under the consideration of the court, the Government of India, in tune with the universally accepted principle of ‘constitutional proprietary’, is under an obligation to desist from exercising powers under the impugned Act, including the power to promulgate domicile law and rules in question,” the NC spokesman said.

Describing it “unacceptable” and fraught “with widening the gap and inducing alienation”, the NC said this order was aimed at disempowering the people of J&K and effecting a demographic change.

‘Unethical’

“The order and procedure in question is also grossly inappropriate and unethical in as much as when the entire mankind, including the people of J&K, are in complete lockdown engaged in a battle of survival against Coronavirus, the Government of India has found this opportune time to push in the measures, palpably anti-people and unconstitutional”, it said.

Expressing their stand first time since the Centre revoked J&K’s special status in August last, the NC spokesman said the party had taken a principled stand on the floor of Parliament and outside that the decisions of August 5, 2019, taking away the special status and constitutional guarantees available to Jammu and Kashmir and dividing and downgrading the State are “unconstitutional, unilateral as also against the federalism, the basic structure of the Constitution”.

“The post August 5 events in J&K also indicate massive public disapproval of the decisions in all the three regions. The party resolves to continue its struggle through all peaceful means for realisation of political aspirations of the people of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh,” said the spokesman.

The PDP said the order was aimed at effecting a demographic change of J&K and rejected the amended domicile law and the recent order.

“Even a pandemic is no deterrent for the Government of India to continue with its disempowerment project for J&K. Orders like the one on domicile certificates don’t settle anything, neither do they cover up the August 5 fraud. The demographic change and disenfranchisement will further complicate the J&K issue, which has claimed thousands of lives so far. This will be resisted through all democratic and peaceful means,” said a PDP spokesman.

The J&K administration notified the domicile procedure on Monday, allowing eligible non-locals to apply for domicile certificates.

With inputs from The Hindu

Srinagar: Top militant Commander and son of pro-freedom leader was among the two militants killed in Kashmir capital Srinagar encounter on Tuesday.

The encounter began around 2 am after a joint team of the CRPF and Jammu and Kashmir Police launched a cordon and search operation in Dana Mazar Nawakadal area of Srinagar city following inputs about the presence of militants.

Shortly after the area was brought under siege, mobile internet and mobile telephony services, except on BSNL postpaid, were snapped in Srinagar.

A police official told news agency KNT that a cop and two troopers were injured in gunfight. Militants trapped in the house, fired upon search party and there was intermittent exchange of fire.

“It was a congested area while before launching an operation, locals in the neighbourhood were evacuated safely,” the official said.

He said that the house was blasted and two bodies of militants were recovered there. “One body belongs to Junaid Sehrai while the identity of another militant is being ascertained,” he said.

He added that prima facie it seems the second body is of a Shopian militant Tahir Ahmed.

Juniad, an original inhabitant of Lolab Kupwara joined militancy in March 2020. He was the son of top pro-freedom leader Muhammad Ashraf Sehrai. He had done MBA from Kashmir University. (KNT)

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir National Conference on Tuesday vehemently opposed Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Adaptation of State Laws) Order, 2020 and Jammu and Kashmir Grant of Domicile Certificate ( Procedure) Rules 2020.

In a statement released to press, the Party has stated that both the S.O 1229 (E) Domicile law and S.O 166 prescribing the procedure for grant of Domicile Certificate are made in exercise of power under the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Act 2019, challenged in number of petitions before the Supreme Court, the hearing before the Constitution Bench has commenced and is proceeding ahead. It is stated that with the constitutional validity of the Act impugned and the petitions under consideration of the Court, the Government of India in tune with the universally accepted principle of “constitutional proprietary”, is under an obligation to desist from exercising powers under the impugned Act including the power to promulgate Domicile law and Rules in question. It is stated that the National Conference has taken a principled stand on the floor of the Parliament and outside that the decisions of 5th August 2019 taking away special status and constitutional guarantees available to Jammu and Kashmir and dividing and downgrading the State are unconstitutional, unilateral as also against the federalism, the basic structure of the Constitution. The Party has pleaded these grounds before the Court. The post 5th August events in Jammu and Kashmir also indicate massive public disapproval of the decisions in all the three regions.

The statement adds that though the Domicile Order and Rules would not be acceptable at any point of time because of well known stand of the Party that the measures are aimed at disempowering the people of Jammu and Kashmir and effecting demographic change, yet the timing of the Order and Procedure in question is also grossly inappropriate and unethical in as much as when entire mankind including the people of Jammu and Kashmir are in complete lockdown engaged in battle of survival against Coronavirus, the Government of India has found this opportune time to push in the measures, palpably anti people and unconstitutional.

This apart, the statement adds, the Domicile Order as well as Procedure are anti people as not only because these are ambiguous and misleading opening flood gates but these would push people with valid state subject certificates to uncertainty and hardship as the benefits would not be available unless they obtain Domicile Certificates under the Rules.

The Party while reiterating its resolve to continue its struggle through all peaceful means for realisation of political aspirations of the people of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh, has asked the Government of India to immediately revoke the Domicile Order and Procedure as these measures will widen the gulf between the people of Jammu and Kashmir and the rest of the Country and add to alienation.(GNS)