SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir Police have put the services of two cops under suspension even though it asserted that a youth, who died in mysterious circumstances, has committed suicide. The incident was reported from Kathua.
Details revealed that Sonu Kumar, 42, died in mysterious conditions in the custody of police Post (PP) Nagri in Kathua on February 6, evening. Son of
Jagdish Chander of Sakta Chak, Kathua, he was arrested by Nagri cops on February 4, during Naka checking in Goond area (FIR No. 40/2023 U/S 8/21/22 NDPS Act). Police said he was arrested when during frisking they recovered approximately seven grams of heroin (Chitta) like narcotics from his possession.
After he was reported dead, he was shifted to GMC Kathua for post-mortem.
The family has claimed that their ward was killed in custody. They said he was hail and hearty and the soul bread winner for his wife and three minors. The family seeks investigations in the case.
However, police said Kumar committed suicide using his blanket. SSP Kathua
Shivdeep Singh Jamwal termed Kumar as drug-peddler. He said there was an FIR under NDPS Act registered against him in 2017. In 2018 he was involved in a ransom case.
Since the police have started investigations in the case, they have suspended two cops till the outcome of the investigations, reports added.
SRINAGAR: Reports said that a resident was charred to death in an early morning fire incident in Srinagar’s Qamarwari area.
Local news gatherer KDC identified the person as Bashir Ahmad Baba, son of Abdul Gani.
Though the details are yet to emerge, initial reports said the death occurred due to a fire that started with a Kangri, Kashmir’s traditional fire pot.
Baba was rushed to SMHS Hospital, where doctors declared him brought dead.
The news gatherer quoted a police officer confirming the incident, insisting the cause of the fire is being investigated. FSL has been associated with the investigations process, the report added.
(Photograph used in the report is merely representational)
JKSSB has been asked by the High Court to appoint 1446 paramedics after dismissing the petitions filed by those who have been working against these positions for many years.
KATHUA
Dilbagh Singh (IPS)
In an interesting revelation, the Jammu and Kashmir Police Chief, Dilbagh Singh said they have recovered a ‘perfume bomb’ from a school teacher turned militant. The recovery took place while investing in the twin Narwal blasts of January 21, 2023, and the outcome included solving four terror attacks—three on the outskirts of Jammu City and another at Katra. The teacher was identified as Mohammad Auraf Sheikh alias Arif, 32, son of Ghulamudin, a resident of village Pagihalla in the Baransal area of Gulabgarh(Reasi), who was posted at Government Middle School, Pagihalla(Mahore) but living at Peerbagh Colony at Sunjuwan in the rented accommodation of a Jammu and Kashmir Police (JKP) Inspector. He had been living in the cop’s accommodation between December 2021 and March 2022 and from December 1, 2022, to January 2023 and the cop had not informed the concerned. Hired as ReT in 2010, and his services were regularised in 2016.
DGP said Arif was in touch with Pakistan-basedLashkarcommander Mohammad Qasim, a resident of the village Angralla (Reasi) district, and was introduced by his maternal uncle Qamar Din of Baransal, Doda, who is settled in Karachi. His job was to collect drone-dropped IEDs and sticky bombs from the International Border in Jammu, Samba and Kathua. The teacher had burnt almost every single thing that could have proved as evidence against him but he was still caught. Police said he admitted that he planted two sticky bombs, each weighing 450 grams, beneath seat number 3 of the bus, above the petrol tank, on May 13, 2022, in which a few Vaishno Devi pilgrims were killed and mostly survived injured.
The government has allotted Rs 62 crore, to be spent over five years for the cultivation of Medicinal Aromatic Plants on 5000 kanals of land spread across 28 clusters, creating over 3000 jobs and 28 enterprises.
GULMARG
Two Polish skiers were washed away by a debilitating avalanche at Gulmarg’s Afarwat skiing slope when 21 skiers were taken by surprise. While the rescue patrol rescued 19 skiers and their two guides – Fayaz Ahmad Sheikh and Mushtaq Ahmad Mir, the bodies of Krzysctof, 43, and Adam Grzech45, were retrieved from under a mound of snow. With powdered snow, Gulmarg is the best destination for world-class skiing outside the Alps. The spot is crowded with skiers these days. This season, Kashmir witnessed its seven major avalanches. While four avalanches hit Gurez, two hit Sonamarg earlier. In one of the avalanches at Sonamarg, two labourers working on the Zojilla tunnel were killed. Incidentally, most of these avalanches were captured live. One mobile owner actually captured the last moments of one of the two ill-fated skiers. The last major avalanche in Gulmarg was on February 8, 2010, which killed 17 soldiers.
As per a study, around 6.5 per cent of women in Srinagar started experiencing domestic violence during Covid-19-induced lockdowns.
DODA
After mass migration from Uttrakhand’s Joshimath due to its feared sinking, a similar tragedy almost struck a village located on the banks of Chenab River, where 21 residential structures developed cracks in Thathri tehsil of Doda since December last year. More than 111 people from 21 homes declared unsafe were shifted away from the Nai Basti village. The administration is yet to know the cause of land erosion and a team from the Geological Survey of India (GSI) has been rushed to the spot.
Jammu and Kashmir’s government inaugurated 94 sports infrastructure projects worth Rs 46 crore under CAPEX and JKIDFC
SRINAGAR
Against the backdrop of tracing a fake posting and appointment order, the School Education Department has ordered verification of the genuineness of the 2009 batch and other appointees of which orders have been issued by the government. The order came after a fraudster was found serving the department for more than 13 years by producing fake postings and appointment orders.
Jammu and Kashmir’s government is spending Rs 146 crore to promote niche crops as unique heritage.
SRINAGAR
Following a Delhi Court order, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) attached the Hurriyat office in Srinagar. In an order, Shaliender Malik, additional sessions judge, New Delhi district, had ordered the attachment under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act-1967. The court, however, had added that the attachment in itself does not mean that there is any pre-trial conclusion regarding that property. The Court further said that among the different allegations and evidence, it was also the case that the office of APHC was the place where meetings were held to strategize different protests, funding activities of stone pelting on security forces, recruiting of unemployed youths to carry out unlawful activities as well as terrorist activities to create unrest in the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir to wage war against the Government of India.
57 schools and roads were recently renamed in memory of eminent persons and lain soldiers.
SRINAGAR
Nearly 656309 hectares of State and Khacharai land were retrieved during the ongoing anti-encroachment drive in eight districts of Jammu and Kashmir. On January 9, the administration had asked the DCs to ensure that all encroachments on state land, including grazing land and that granted under the Roshni Act, are removed by January 31. The major chunk of 2,75,867 hectares of land was retrieved from encroachers in Rajouri, followed by 1,44,613 hectares in Reasi, 1,22,277 in Poonch, 47,552 hectares in Kishtwar, 33,000 Kanals in Bandipora, 15,000 in Kathua, 14,000 in Ganderbal and 4,000 in Kupwara districts so far. In line with the government’s assurances that big fishes are on target, 40 kanals of land were retrieved from a hotel in Srinagar that belongs to close relatives of former CM Farooq Abdullah. In Anantnag, the boundary wall of the residence of former minister Peerzada Mohammad Sayyed (Congress) at Dahmal Khoshipora was demolished. However, while many high profiles people were targeted, the Lal Chowk Srinagar’s Aftab market witnessed the sealing and then subsequent reopening of two dozen odd shops.
India’s 2023-24 budget has allocated Rs 35,581.44 crore to Jammu and Kashmir, mostly as central assistance. It is slightly lower in comparison to allocations of Rs 44,538.13 crore in the last budget.
JAMMU
Trilochan Singh Wazir
Delhi Police has arrested Sudershan Singh Wazir, Chairman of Jammu and Kashmir Sikh United Front and his two associates Harjinder Singh Raina and Jagpal Singh for their alleged involvement in the murder of NC lawmaker and trader Tarlochan Singh Wazir on September 3, 2021. Sudarshan was summoned by police to Delhi and booked under Section 120-B IPC. The recent arrests in the case were based on the disclosures of Harpreet Singh, a prime accused in the murder.
NABARD estimates Jammu and Kashmir has credit potential worth Rs 34082 crore in the priority sector in 2023-24.
LADAKH
Engineer Sonam Wangchuk, Ladakh’s change-maker and the man on whose life the Bollywood blockbuster, 3 Idiots is based, was on a “symbolic carbon neutral climatic fast” (read hunger strike) for five days. His protest was for an extension of the Sixth Schedule to Ladakh, full statehood and other demands already propounded by the region’s political leadership. His protest became global news as the Leh administration restricted him to his Himalayan Institutes of Alternative Ladakh (HIAL). Now the region’s leadership wants him to be part of the negotiations with Delhi. The Magsaysay Award winner’s statement shocked the government: “I didn’t think I would ever say this, but I am saying that we were better off with Jammu and Kashmir than today’s UT [Union Territory]. I would also tell that tomorrow’s UT would be better and golden.”
In the last three years, Budgam district witnessed the seizure of 1120 vehicles for “illegal missing” and they were fined to the tune of Rs 17,357,156.
BIHAR
Last week, social media was dominated by a young Kashmir lady who had converted to Hinduism for marrying Lalu Singh, a resident of Begusarai, Bihar. She emerged on the social media scene after her in-laws refused to adopt her and wanted her to go back home. She had fled home twice and was sent back by her in-laws but this time she refused and went public. Later, a possible police intervention helped her reunite with her husband.
Against a loan of Rs 400 crore to various power projects owned by Adani group, almost Rs 255 crore is still unpaid.
DELHI
In his Mann Ji Baat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said to many Kashmier winter pictures look like a fairy tale. “During winters, people also enjoyed snowfall in the mountains. Some pictures came in from Jammu and Kashmir which captivate hearts in the entire country,” Modi said. “People are saying that picture of a beautiful snowfall, white sheet like snow all around looks like a fairy tale. They comment that these pictures are not of any foreign nation but that of Kashmir in our own country.” Then he became a Kashmir brand ambassador: “Seeing these pictures, you too must be thinking of going on a trip to Kashmir. I would like you to go there yourself and also take your friends along. Besides snow-capped mountains along with natural beauty, there are many more things to see and know in Kashmir.” Then, he moved to snow cricket and termed it an “exciting game”. He added; “Winter Games were organized in Syedabad, Kashmir. Kashmiri youth make cricket even more amazing in the snow. Through this, there is also a search for young players in Kashmir, who will later play as Team India. In a way, this is also an extension of the Khelo India Movement.”
In the last 20 years, Kashmir recorded 2357 Asiatic black bear attacks on humans till 2020.
SRINAGAR
Kashmir’s handicraft basket will now have a Quick Response (QR) code alongside the GI labelling. The initiative aimed at fair trade practice is taking place at a time when the handicraft sector is exhibiting a strong revival with exports in the last nine months crossing Rs 729 crore, for the first time after 2019. Now, 13 Kashmir crafts including six handicrafts already having GI will have distinct QR codes. These include Kashmir Pashmina, Kashmir Sozni, Kani Shawl, Kashmir Walnut Wood Carving, Kashmir Papier Machie and Khatamband. In the case of Kashmir Pashmina’s GI labelling has been redeveloped and has been integrated with the QR-Code certification module.
From 23 procurement spots, the agriculture department has purchased 33600 tons of paddy from 6,549 farmers in Jammu and Kashmir for Rs 68.88 crore.
SRINAGAR: More than 2600 people were reported dead in a devastating earthquake that flattened most of Turkey’s Gaziantep area bordering Syria. The devastation is visible across Turkey’s 10 provinces and a vast belt in war-torn Syria.
Tensions in Kashmir families whose wards are studying in Turkey has mounted even though the Government of India is making efforts to reach the Indian students if any, in the disaster-hit areas. India said it was sending medical squads, search and rescue teams and relief material to assist Turkey’s response. Officials in India said they prepared 100 rescue workers with specially trained dogs to send to Turkey in the wake of the earthquake.
Malatya’da yeni yapılan bir bina, Kahramanmaraş depremi sonrası bugün yerle bir oldu. pic.twitter.com/dcNzSDi5yO
The destruction was the outcome of two massive earthquakes – the first one having a magnitude of 7.8, and hours later another one with 7.5 magnitudes. The winter is supposed to impact rescue operations as the toll is likely to go up many times more. It was raining when a major tremor hit the area.
The wee-hour earthquake led to the pancake collapse of a vast number of housing blocks, trapping people under the rubble. The rescue was on when the second one hit the same belt thus adding to the crisis. Some of the buildings that survived the first or both major jolts later collapsed like pack of cards. Some of these destructions were captured by people on their cell phones.
JUST IN: 🇹🇷 Thousands estimated to be dead following 7.8 magnitude earthquake in Turkey. pic.twitter.com/Z4VHxtPvaF
Turkey and parts of Syria fall in a high seismic zone. Given the magnitude of the earthquake, it is been seen as the second only to December 1939 earthquake that killed 39000 people.
“I have never felt anything like it in the 40 years I have lived,” BBC quoted Gaziantep resident Erdem saying. “We were shaken at least three times very strongly, like a baby in a crib.”
In certain areas the earthquake damaged the gas pipeline triggering fires. Turkey’s state-owned crude oil and natural gas corporation, BOTAS, the flow of natural gas to Gaziantep, Hatay and Kahramanmaras provinces, as well as nine nearby counties, was stopped as a result of damage to the Kahramanmaras-Gaziantep transmission line.
2,200 years old Gazintap Castle destroyed by the earthquake in Turkey.
“I barely got myself and my family out of the building. We were just coming out of the wreckage when we saw a person reach out through a small gap,” Veysel Şervan told BBC. “The building collapsed on our friend who tried to save them. They have no chance of escape, it collapsed on them completely. We are in a very difficult situation.”
The earthquake reduced Gaziantep castle and the Shirvan Mosque to rubble. The castle was over 2000 years old and belonged to the Roman period. Built by the Romans during the second and third centuries, the castle was strengthened and expanded by the Byzantine emperor Justinian I in the sixth century. Later the Ayyubids in the twelfth and thirteen centuries improved it. It was a museum.
Pray for #Turkey A 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit Turkey Syria,(State of Catastrophe) early on Monday, It’s a major earthquake in the history of centre thousands of building collapse,912 people died & 5373 above people injured😭💔 #TurkeyEarthquake#turkeyearthquake2023pic.twitter.com/QEqjFVgFok
Turkish official news gatherer, Anadolu Agency reported the earthquake — felt as far away as Lebanon, Jordan, Israel and Egypt — occurred in Kahramanmaras province, north of Gaziantep, near the Syrian border. It devastated the southern Turkey and northern and central Syria. Gaziantep, Sanliurfa, Diyarbakir, Adana, Adiyaman, Malatya, Osmaniye, Hatay, and Kilis provinces are heavily affected by the quake.
700+ people have died as a deadly earthquake with a magnitude of 7.8 jolted 🇹🇷 Turkey, 🇸🇾 Syria, and 🇱🇧 Lebanon. إنا لله وإنا إليه راجعون#TurkeyEarthquakepic.twitter.com/5d3M5u2mQU
Given the fact that the winters and the collapse of public communication systems have been seriously impacted, the survivors have uploaded hundreds of photographs and visuals explaining the devastation. A number of global media houses have used these motion photographs to detail the tragedy for larger audiences.
Latest reports suggest that a tsunami has hit the Turkish shores and it is adding to the costs.
SRINAGAR: A local court on Monday rejected the bail plea of a former police driver for his involvement in a ‘fake encounter’ 16 years ago in northern Kashmir’s Bandipora district.
Principal Sessions Judge Bandipora Amit Sharma while rejecting the bail plea of accused police officer Faroooq Ahmad Padroo, said that bail cannot be granted to a person who has shaken the basic faith and confidence of the common man in the working of the police organization.
The court observed that the accused persons involved in this FIR are none other than the police officers/officials and under the garb of the police uniform such type of “Fake encounter” was committed definitely shaken the basic faith and confidence of the common man in the working of the police organization and the said crime committed by this accused person become more severe simply because of this reason.
Farooq Ahmad Padroo, a police driver is co-accused along with former SSP Ganderbal Hans Raj Parihar in an infamous fake encounter killing of a cloth merchant-Gh nabi Wani of Kokernag in 2006. Padroo is facing trial in cases FIR No.52/2006 police station Sumbal for commission of offences punishable under Sections 302 (murder), 364 (abduction), 120-B (criminal conspiracy), 201 (causing disappearance of evidence), 344 (wrongful confinement) RPC .
The accused petitioner through his counsel Advocate Parvaiz Nazir had appealed for bail on the grounds that the accused is facing trial for more than 15 years and there is no chance for the conclusion of the trial in the near future. Petitioner pleaded that the long detention of the accused under trial prisoner developed various ailments including psychiatric disorder, with the result that the accused is not in a position to communicate and behave properly.
The petitioner prayed that it is old and falls within the exception of bail while the court has also granted bail to two other accused in the same case thus sought the same treatment. Counsel for the petitioners pleaded that he has got right to speedy trial enshrined under Article 21 of the Constitution, but in the instant case, the applicant has been deprived of the same, as none of his faults therefore indulgence of this court is imperative.
However the state on behalf of the victim’s family through Public Prosecutor Abdul Majid and Additional Public prosecutor Bilal Ahmad objected to the bail plea and prayed for rejection of the bail.
The Public Prosecutor pleaded that the entire evidence on record recorded during the proceedings of trial proves the involvement of the accused person in the offence of gruesome murder of an innocent individual of the soil. He pleaded that the offence is more heinous and more serious in nature because it has been committed by the persons who were supposed to uphold and implement the law of the land and were guidance and protectors of life and liberty of a common citizen.
Counsel for the victim family stated that the accused is involved in abduction of an innocent person and thereafter staging a drama of fake encounter and the accused persons thus turned to be beasts rather than protectors of life and liberty of those for whom they were appointed so as such, the above named accused is not entitled to the concession of bail.
“The offence is heinous and grave besides non-bailable in character, as such, the above named accused are not entitled to the concession of bail,” they pleaded.
The court rejected the plea of the accused petitioner and stated that the discussion and the evidence available on record of the file as well as taking into consideration the conduct of the accused and without commenting upon the merits of the case, this court is not inclined to enlarge the petitioner on bail.
While rejecting the bail application of the accused, court stated that the accused persons involved in this FIR are none other than the police officers/officials and under the garb of the police uniform such type of “Fake encounter” was committed has shaken the basic faith and confidence of the common man in the working of the police organization and the said crime committed by this accused person become more severe simply because of this reason.
The court highlighted the plea of the counsel for the victim family that “the deceased killed in this encounter was actually the resident of the village of the accused and the said deceased who used to sell Dastarkhan sheets (dining cloth) on the Biscoe School pavements. It is from this place when he had been lifted by the police team. Thereafter he was kept in the SOG Camp at Manasbal and during these in between period the learned PP submitted that, “the wife of the said deceased approached the petitioner for tracing out her husband who was missing then and not returned to his house as the wife of the deceased never ever being the poor lady was having only the approach of the petitioner who was working as a police official and from the village of the said deceased. But the petitioner never bothered about the tears and cries of the wife of the deceased and cleverly carried forward the nefarious design and mode of committing this horrendous crime of murder”.
The judge added ‘meaning thereby any concession of bail either on medical grounds or on other grounds at this stage of the trial definitely shaken the spine of the common man in the present setup of the criminal justice system. “Hence the bail application moved by the accused person under Section 439 Cr.P.C rejected,” the court observed.
SRINAGAR: Announcing the Haj-2023 policy for this year’s holy pilgrimage, the Haj Committee of India (HCoI) today said that this year there will be 25 Haj Embankment points while as Haj application forms will be made available after three days and there will be no fee for the same.
Quoting Member HCoI, Er Aijaz Hussain news agency KNO reported that after a crucial meeting of HCoI, it was decided that this year there will be 25 embankment points for the pilgrims across the country and Haj application forms will be made available within three days. He said that pilgrims above “70 years of age will be given top priority for the sacred journey.”
Er Aijaz also said that HCoI also announced to abolish the VIP quota under which dignitaries were entitled to accommodate five to ten pilgrims under the quota. “There will be no VIP quota henceforth,” Er Aijaz said.
Pertinently, after thorough discussions between HCoI and the Saudi Government, it was decided that this year over 1,75000 pilgrims will perform the holy pilgrimage of Haj 2023.
Er Aijaz said that additional embankment points will help facilitate the pilgrims smoothly across the country. On January 10, India had signed the bilateral agreement with the Saudi Government to fix the total number of pilgrims this year. Er Aijaz said that HCoIs endeavour this year will be to make Haj2023 cheaper compared to previous years and ensure more and better facilities to pilgrims at both holy cities of Makah and Madina.
JAMMU: Chief Secretary, Dr Arun Kumar Mehta on Monday chaired the 4th UT Level Apex Committee meeting of NCORD and held an in-depth review of all the ongoing activities happening across Jammu and Kashmir to combat the drug menace here.
The meeting was attended by Additional Chief Secretary, Home; DGP, J&K; Principal Secretary, Education; Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir; ADGP, Kashmir/Jammu; Commissioner Secretary, Forests; Commissioner Secretary, Social Welfare; Secretary Health; Director, Information and Public Relations; Excise Commissioner; State Drug Controller; Zonal Director, NCB Jammu; SSP, ANTF and all the Deputy Commissioners and District SPs both in person and through video conferencing.
Dr Mehta while addressing the officers remarked that the victims of drug abuse deserves handholding and every possible assistance to live a normal life. He impressed upon the officers that without showing any laxity on the ongoing war on drugs, focus should also be laid on rehabilitation of its victims.
The Chief Secretary further exhorted upon the officers to involve PRIs as well as Anganwadi centres and schools for rehabilitation of drug abuse victims as well as for generating awareness among public particularly youth about the negative impact of drug abuse. He underscored that it is our collective duty to root out this plague from the society.
and SSPs regarding efforts being made for combating this menace across Jammu and Kashmir. He also directed the Deputy Commissioners to hold monthly meetings by district NCORD committees without any fail and update the data of same on national NCORD portal. He told them to constitute special team of Drug Control department to look after ourAirports for drug peddling or smuggling of contraband substances.
Earlier in the meeting, a detailed presentation on drug scenario in J&K and the challenges to counter the drug menace and efforts being made by all stakeholders to fight this problem was also presented before the Chief Secretary.
It was given in the meeting that in Kashmir Division, a total of 159 drug dealers have been booked under PITNDPS while in Jammu Division 43 drug dealers have been detained during 2022.
Similarly the meeting was informed that a total of 1850 FIRs have been registered while 2756 persons have been arrested for carrying out these illicit trade. Moreover during 2022, 240 kg Heroin, 498 kgs Charas, 249 Kg Ganja, and 178677 Caps/bottles/tabs of Scheduled drugs have been seized throughout J&K, as was revealed in this meeting.
SRINAGAR: ALLEN Career Institute Srinagar conducted “Toppers’ Talk Show,” by NEET 2022 ALLEN Srinagar Topper Nauman Javed Bhat, who secured J&K Rank-6, AIR-920, Scored 679/720 and got Selection in Government Medical College (GMC) Srinagar.
Faculty and toppers at an Allen Srinagar event on February 6, 2023
The event was conducted to boost morale and motivate students who are going to appear in NEET 2023. The main motive of the event was to minimize the emotional breakdown of students which usually occurs during the final days of NEET exam preparation.
In this event, Nauman Javed Bhat shared his two years journey at ALLEN Career Institute, Srinagar. Besides, he shared how attending regular exams and doing their analysis sitting with faculty members helped him to increase his marks and confidence day by day on the final days of his preparation.
Parents and students present in the event asked many questions Nauman and his parents to which he answered as per his own experience and thus motivated all present students present in the event. Answering one of the queries from a parent sitting in the audience to which the mother of Nauman mentioned that ALLEN Career Institute Faculty members helped a lot to increase his score in the NEET exam and advised students to remain under the strict guidance and mentorship of the Faculty members
The event even included a motivational Session for NEET 2023 aspirants by Dr Nikhil Mehta Sir (Medical-Academic Head of ALLEN Mumbai, City Head of ALLEN Latur, Maharashtra, and Academic Head of ALLEN Srinagar). In his session, he motivated students how to concentrate on all three subjects Physics, Chemistry, and Biology, as all the3 Subjects are important if a student wants to Top/Score NEET Examination.
The event also included the two Years Completion Celebration of the ALLEN Career Institute Nowgam Campus.
SRINAGAR: CPI(M) leader Mohamad Yousuf Tarigami has asserted that the ongoing so called anti-land encroachment drive and eviction has on ground generated fear among the common masses.
In a statement issued in Jammu today, the CPI(M) leader said, while big land grabbers have to be identified and action be taken strictly under law, the manner and the method used to evict the alleged land encroachers, especially the peasants, marginal farmers, small shopkeepers and those living in small houses constructed years back, sends a message that the administration is insensitive to the interests and sentiments of the general public and that of the individuals and organisations which express resentment against the reckless drive and coercive manner of the evictions.
“If the present Campaign of eviction attains roughshod propostions, it will generate more resentment,” said Tarigami in a statement.
The present ‘drive’ gives the impression as if the administration has waged a ‘war’ against the public, he said.
The selection of areas and individuals for bulldozing, creates doubts regarding the real intentions of the administration.The eviction campaign seems selective and discriminatory, he added.
Referring to the Chief Secretary’s latest directions to the officers regarding action against those who dare to criticize the handling of the eviction drive, Tarigami affirmed that it speaks of a highhanded approach of the dispensation.
“Those at the helm should keep in mind that it has to function under the Constitution and it should not give the impression that there is an undeclared emergency in J&K. This will in no way serve the cause of peace, law and order and the larger interests of the country,” said Tarigami in a statement.
SRINAGAR: Accusing the Jammu & Kashmir administration of creating homelessness, Peoples Conference President Sajad Gani Lone on Monday said that “New Delhi shouldn’t be represented by bulldozers in Kashmir, but by love and compassion.”
Addressing a news conference here, as per news agency KNO Lone said the objective of the ongoing eviction drive seems humiliation of Kashmiris.
“What is the objective of the government? Do they want to retrieve land or humiliate people? I think humiliation is more important for them,” he said.
Lone said that the current administration in J&K is not an elected regime and should leave bigger decisions for an elected government.
“(President’s Rule) It is a temporary arrangement. They cannot take decisions on behalf of the people of J&K. They cannot take all decisions. They are not elected by the people,” Lone told reporters here.
Lone, who was flanked by senior PC leaders Peerzada Mansoor Hussain and Muhammad Ashraf Mir, said that the J & K administration is inventing homelessness by razing down homes of poor people. “They are not giving any notice. The law of the land cannot be violated,” he said, adding that only poor are suffering due to the ongoing eviction drive in J&K.
“I want to ask my Prime Minister who is the Prime Minister of poor people whose houses are demolished. Where will poor people go?” he asked.
Following a Delhi Court order, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) attached the Hurriyat office in Srinagar. In an order, Shaliender Malik, additional sessions judge, New Delhi district, had ordered the attachment under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act-1967. The court, however, had added that the attachment in itself does not mean that there is any pre-trial conclusion regarding that property. The Court further said that among the different allegations and evidence, it was also the case that the office of APHC was the place where meetings were held to strategize different protests, funding activities of stone pelting on security forces, recruiting of unemployed youths to carry out unlawful activities as well as terrorist activities to create unrest in the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir to wage war against the Government of India.
