SRINAGAR: A 40-year-old Kashmiri businessman, who was abducted by his two business partners from Delhi’s Kashmiri Gate area, was rescued from Punjab, an official said on Saturday.
After six hours, Delhi Police along with its counterpart Punjab Police managed to rescue the victim and nabbed the kidnappers from Phagwara in Punjab.
The accused have been identified as Nishar Ahmad (48) and Imtiyaz Ahmad (48) –both residents of village Pahroo Navgav, district Budgam in Jammu and Kashmir.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (north), Sagar Singh Kalsi, said that on Friday, a Police Control Room (PCR) call was received at Kashmiri Gate police station regarding the kidnapping of a man from the area.
“The call was received from a Kashmir-based number and on initial enquiry, it was revealed that two Kashmiris have abducted one man from Hare Rama Travels in the area. The CCTV footage near the travel agency was analysed and it was revealed that the accused abducted Sayad Tarikh in a taxi,” said the DCP.
“A case under relevant sections of Indian Penal Code was registered and after scanning CCTV footages, it was found that the taxi- swift dzire — is going towards Kashmir through G.T. Karnal Road. The police teams tasked with investigation immediately chased and a W.T. message was also flashed subsequently to police of Haryana and Punjab,” said the DCP.
The taxi was intercepted at Phagwara, with the help of Punjab Police and the victim was safely rescued from the clutches of the accused.
During interrogation, it was revealed that both the victim and the accused are business partners and there is a monetary dispute of Rs 55 lakh between them.
“The victim was not in a position to repay his debt. When the victim opposed paying his debt, both the accused threatened to kill him and asked him to quietly go with them to Jammu and Kashmir and if he spoke to someone in-between, his dead body would not be found,” said the official.
“The duo accused was planning to recover Rs 55 lakh from the family members of the victim after the abduction. The accused also impersonated police officers before the taxi driver who was hired by them,” said the official.
JAMMU: Under the effervescent patronage and guidance of Acting Chief Justice, High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, Tashi Rabstan, the High Court today rolled out an initiative of taking up the Judicial matters of UT of Ladakh through virtual mode by allowing the parties and lawyers to appear and plead their cases from Ladakh itself.
In its first kind of initiative, the Court of Justice Tashi Rabstan today heard the matters of UT of Ladakh virtually, in which the lawyers and government representatives who were petitioners and the respondents in the listed cases appeared on virtual mode from Leh and pleaded their cases.
As many as, six (6) matters of the UT of Ladakh were listed today before the Bench, in which the virtual proceedings were conducted.
In the today’s era of technology, conducting the proceedings of a case virtually by connecting different locations on one platform is going to be a big boon in the judicial dispensation. Rolling out such a facility for the people of Ladakh by the High Court is aimed at easing out the sufferings of the litigants and the lawyers who earlier had to physically travel to Jammu and Srinagar for appearing in their respective matters. This will save time besides being financially viable for both parties of the case.
“In future, hearing of the matters of Ladakh willl be done virtually by allowing the parties to appear and plead their cases from the UT itself and it will be a regular feature”, stated Anoop Kumar Sharma, Registrar Computers (IT), High Court of J&K and Ladakh.
JAMMU: Under the effervescent patronage and guidance of Acting Chief Justice, High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, Tashi Rabstan, the High Court today rolled out an initiative of taking up the Judicial matters of UT of Ladakh through virtual mode by allowing the parties and lawyers to appear and plead their cases from Ladakh itself.
In its first kind of initiative, the Court of Justice Tashi Rabstan today heard the matters of UT of Ladakh virtually, in which the lawyers and government representatives who were petitioners and the respondents in the listed cases appeared on virtual mode from Leh and pleaded their cases.
As many as, six (6) matters of the UT of Ladakh were listed today before the Bench, in which the virtual proceedings were conducted.
In the today’s era of technology, conducting the proceedings of a case virtually by connecting different locations on one platform is going to be a big boon in the judicial dispensation. Rolling out such a facility for the people of Ladakh by the High Court is aimed at easing out the sufferings of the litigants and the lawyers who earlier had to physically travel to Jammu and Srinagar for appearing in their respective matters. This will save time besides being financially viable for both parties of the case.
“In future, hearing of the matters of Ladakh willl be done virtually by allowing the parties to appear and plead their cases from the UT itself and it will be a regular feature”, stated Anoop Kumar Sharma, Registrar Computers (IT), High Court of J&K and Ladakh.
JAMMU: The Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha today inaugurated Special Governance Camp for Kashmiri Migrants at Jagti Colony.
The 12-day long camp at 6 locations is aimed to ensure 100% saturation of Social security schemes for Kashmiri migrants. 18 departments have put up their stalls at the camp including the facilities for enrolment of youth for self employment, skilling and up-skilling.
Speaking on the occasion, the Lt Governor said, Administration is sensitive to the issues of Kashmiri Migrant families and PM Package Employees.
“Few unfortunate incidents had occurred. These attacks were not only on individuals but also on the integrity of India. There are a handful of people, who on the behest of the neighboring country are targeting innocent civilians. Under the guidance of Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji, we are working with full sensitivity and commitment to address all the issues,” the Lt Governor told the gathering.
The Lt Governor also observed that many PM Package Employees have resumed their duties and the direction has been issued to release their pending salaries without delay.
The Lt Governor strongly refuted the quote by the Congress Leader Rahul Gandhi, and asserted that he has made no such statement and it has been attributed to him with malicious intent.
“It is completely fabricated and full of lies. I have never used such words for anyone in my entire life. It is my firm belief that anyone who needs help should always be given priority. My doors are open 24 hours for those who has any problem. We are creating an environment to address your issues, efforts are being made for welfare of your children and families to ensure that entire community can contribute in the progress of J&K like it did in the past,” Lt Governor said.
The Lt Governor said, directive has been issued to organize such special governance camps for POJK brothers and sisters to ensure saturation of social security schemes, self-employment and skilling.
He also highlighted that almost all the posts under PM Package have been filled and the UT Government has made all the arrangements for construction of 6000 dwellings.
“Except two, the construction is underway on all the sites. I am personally monitoring the progress. By this April, 1200 houses and till December 2700 houses will be ready. All the pending promotions were completed recently. The process of promotion from Non-gazetted to gazetted is going on and I hope that it will be completed by the end of this month,” the Lt Governor said.
He also said that 80% to 85% PM Package employees are posted at district headquarters. Some are posted at tehsil headquarters after the security audit of the areas. We have ensured that no one is posted at any office or school situated in remote isolated area, he added.
“We are committed to fulfill the expectation of people. Earlier, the laws were formulated to retrieve the properties of Kashmiri Pandit brothers but it was not implemented. We have taken immediate action and out of 8000 applications received on Migrant Portal around 6000 cases have been resolved. The administration and the security forces are working with dedication to ensure your safety,” the Lt Governor said.
The Lt Governor directed the concerned departments for the up-gradation of community hall and a playground.
Nazim Zai Khan, Secretary, Disaster Management, Relief, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction; Ramesh Kumar, Divisional Commissioner, Jammu; KK Sidha, Commissioner, Relief & Rehabilitation and other senior officers were also present.
SRINAGAR: The authorities demolished an outer wall of a former bureaucrat’s house near the Srinagar Airport on Saturday, officials said.
Quoting an official, news agency KDC reported that a team of the Revenue Department led a demolition drive to reclaim state land, measuring around 10 marlas from the “encroacher”.
He said that the outer wall, the main gate of the former bureaucrat Farooq Renzu Shah’s residence, was demolished in Friends enclave, near the airport as part of the government’s demolition drive against the “land grabbers”.
Officials said that Renzu Shah’s Humhama home was allegedly registered in his wife’s name.
Farooq Renzu Shah was formerly DC Budgam, Director Department of Information and is currently serving as Chairman Jamaat-e-Aitqaad International.
Pertinently, the authorities have reiterated that the main target of the anti-encroachment drive was to bring down “high-profile land grabbers”.
SRINAGAR: A Junior Commanding Officer of Assam Rifles posted in North Kashmir’s Bandipora died of ‘cardiac arrest’, sources said.
Quoting sources news agency KNT reported that a JCO of 26 Assam Rifles posted at Paribal Thikri army camp complained of chest pain after which he was evacuated to 92 Base Hospital Badamibagh where doctors declared him brought dead.
The deceased has been identified as Vivekanandu Daniyal, a native of Uttarakhand state of India.
Police Post Aloosa Bandipra has started proceeding under CrPc 174 in this regard.
They may all be boatmen but they have a lot of divisions dictated by the services they deliver and the professions they adopt. Insha Shirazi reports about the newer challenges to the people living in Dal lake
“Houseboats were founded at the end of the eighties by Colonel R Sartorius, vc; and Sir H Harvey, Bart, and Martyn Kennard, I think, owned the first two crafts,” Lt Col Joshua Duke, the British Residency surgeon in Srinagar for many years, wrote in 1900. “Mr Kennard’s boat cost a great deal of money and is still on the river.”
Duke’s series of guidebooks, a huge collection of graphic descriptions of the nineteenth and twentieth-century Kashmir, however, acknowledges the fact that the boats existed in Kashmir prior to the intervention as well. “Since then they have multiplied in variety, shape, size, cost, etc, to a certain extent they take the place of houses, still very deficient in Srinagar.” The Doonga boat, however, existed.
Those were the days when the boatmen (Heanz) were the key drivers of life. They were the main transporters within the twin Kashmir lakes and managed most of the cargo between South and North Kashmir. Movement within Srinagar was only because of them. Given this advantage over others, they were close to any visitor that came to Kashmir. Most of the Kashmir travelogues are based on their interaction with the boatmen.
Divisions
Since then, diversity among the boatmen existed. There were different types of boatmen and that sub-division still exists. The divisions are based strictly on the type of professions the particular family was engaged with.
Fishing is a major economy for the communities living on the Wullar lake shores. Off late, however, the fishermen said the government is contributing negatively to the sub-sector putting them to losses. KL Image: Bilal Bahadur
Fisherman: These are the Gadeh–haenz’s whose main source of income is fishing. They live within and around the lake of Dal and Wular. Their men catch fish and their women sell it in the market.
Lotus Growers: They are called Gaer Haenz. These people are primarily farmers who grow Lotus and chestnuts. Though both grow naturally, they harvest the nadroo (Nilumbium) and the chestnut and market them. Water chestnuts mostly grow in Wular. Some of them, off late, have lost their access to water areas where the plant grows rendering them jobless. Now, they work for others during harvesting. Lotus stem apart, they also harvest green and black trapa, fodder, and other plants.
Vegetable Growers: In their own parlance, they are known as demb-heanz. They are the main cultivators of the Dal lake and most of the vegetables marketed in Srinagar city come from them.
Boatmen: Despite the fact that Doonga’s no longer exist but a major section of the boatmen who own houseboats and shikara taxis are locally known as Dungehhaenz. They offer accommodation to tourists in their luxurious houseboats and have decent careers doing so. This category of boatmen is the most advanced and economically sound. They are cosmopolitan in nature as they have relations across the world. Some of them have retained their houseboats and are living in plush homes. A number of them, now own good hotels as well.
Hunters: Though they do not exist, there has been a sub-group called Ayer-heanz, who made a living by hunting. It is said they used to live in or around forests.
Transporters: Kashmir’s transportation and cargo were managed by horsemen or boatmen. Boatmen who owned huge barges for moving cargo were locally known as Bahatsi–heanz. Interestingly, the section of these transporters who were transporting timber was called Mata-heanz.
Challenges
All these people have been under pressure for one or the other reason. The last 100 years saw the complete disappearance of the transportation dungas as the roads were built even within the Dal Lake. Hundreds of families were relocated off the lake under the Dal restoration plan. They have homes far away from the ecosystem they were brought up in.
Now, newer tensions have cropped up. “I have been running a Shikara boat in the Dal Lake for 40 years. I pick up customers from various ghats to the houseboats,” Ghulam Rasool said. “Our boats have problems but we are not being permitted to repair them.”
Official records suggest there were 1103 houseboats and Dunga boats in 2000 and 157 of them were decommissioned in 2007-08, reducing their number to 910. With repairs being denied the numbers will go down further as fires and routine wear and tear are taking their toll. Insiders in the lake said the number of working houseboats could be much lower as no new houseboat was built in the last more than two decades.
Tariq Ahmad Pingloo a houseboat owner in Dal Lake said they have been squeezed into the lake. “It is rare to see hanjis in the Jhelum River. Quite a few houseboats are left in the river now,” he asserted.
Caught in Kashmir’s age-old peculiar casteism – that sees them as a clan apart, the boatmen are regretting a peculiar stereotyping of the community. “We are being accused of polluting the lakes,” Tariq said. “Why do not people understand the fact that the lake is our universe and we cannot pollute it because it is linked to our survival?” The government has gone to court, more than once, accusing the community living in the lake of polluting the water body. This is the key factor for rejecting the repair request by owners.
SRINAGAR: Democratic Azad Party (DAP) Chairman and former J&K chief minister, Ghulam Nabi Azad on Saturday said that those who have grabbed a huge chunk of land must not be spared in the ongoing anti-encroachment drive across the Union Territory.
Quoting Ghulam Nabi Azad news agency KNO reported that in democracy, nobody can suppress the voices of people.
While welcoming the statement of Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, he asked his party workers to end their agitation as LG has assured that poor will not be touched.
“We are in favour of the government’s step against those who have grabbed a huge chunk of land illegally. We urge the government not to touch people who have set up their business units or shops on just one or two marlas of land so that they are not forced to starve,” he said.
He added such measures are certainly not aimed at getting political benefits, but would go against the incumbent government that has done a tremendous job on ground by putting an end to stone pelting, giving a boost to tourism sector and other related things.
SRINAGAR: An army man was injured in a landmine blast along Line of Control in Kerni sector of Poonch district on Saturday, official sources said.
Quoting official sources news agency GNS reported that the blast, apparently occurring accidentally, occurred at around 11:15 a.m., leaving the soldier identified as A Rawat injured who was immediately airlifted to army’s command hospital in Udhampur.
Confirming it, an official said that the status of the soldier’s condition was not immediately known.
SRINAGAR: Indian firm Global Pharma Healthcare is voluntarily recalling all lots of its artificial tears and lubricant eye drops after 55 adverse events, including one death and cases of permanent blindness, were reported in the US, American drug regulator USFDA said in a statement on Friday.
Brand named EziCare and Delsam Pharma, the eye drops in question — Artificial Tears Lubricant Eye Drops —are being distributed by EzriCare, LLC and Delsam Pharma. The recall has been attributed to possible microbial contamination.
In its product recall update today, the US Food and Drugs Administration (FDA), the country’s apex drug regulator, said the development followed an alert by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), US, about an investigation of a multi-state cluster of a potential drug resistant microbial infection linked to the eye drops manufactured by Chennai-based Global Pharma Healthcare.
“To date, there are 55 reports of adverse events, including eye infections, permanent loss of vision and a death with a bloodstream infection,” the USFDA said. In a warning, the FDA also cautioned consumers saying the use of contaminated artificial tears could result in the risk of eye infections that could lead to blindness.
“Artificial Tears (carboxymethylcellulose sodium) Lubricant Eye Drops, 10 mg in 1 mL, ½ fl oz (15 ml bottle), are used as a protectant against further irritation or to relieve dryness of the eye for the temporary relief of discomfort due to minor irritations of the eye, or to exposure to wind or sun. The product was distributed nationwide in the US over the Internet,” the FDA said. Global Pharma Healthcare is notifying the distributors of this product, Aru Pharma and Delsam Pharma, and is requesting that wholesalers, retailers and customers who had the recalled product should stop use, the FDA added.
A CDC probe, meanwhile, involves a multi-state cluster of Verona Integron-mediated Metallo-ß-lactamase (VIM)- and Guiana-Extended Spectrum-ß-Lactamase (GES)-producing carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections possibly associated with the use of the artificial tears manufactured by Global Pharma Healthcare.
Drug resistant microbial contamination could be lethal in the wake of microbes in question becoming resistant to the treatment.
On October 5, 2022, the WHO had issued a global alert about potential links between sold and cough syrups manufactured by Maiden Pharma in Haryana’s Sonepat with over 66 child deaths in Gambia. On January 11 this year, the WHO issued a medical product alert on two substandard (contaminated) products, identified in Uzbekistan. The two products—AMBRONOL syrup and DOK-1 Max syrup—were being manufactured for exports to Uzbekistan by Noida-based Marion Biotech. The production at both Maiden Pharma and Marion Biotech remains halted. Sources said the eye drops in question were not sold in India.
Meanwhile, teams from the Central Drug Standards Control Organisation and the Tamil Nadu drug controller office would be inspecting the firm in Chennai tonight. In the past, the CDSCO acted quickly to shut operations at Maiden Pharma and Marion Biotech pending probe, even though the products were meant only for exports.
