J A M M U   &   K A S H M I R

Trauma disorders set in after quake
Srinagar, October 16
While some cases of acute stress reaction have been reported here following the recent earthquake of such a magnitude after 120 years, doctors at the psychiatric hospital expect such patients after one month.

Aid denied to those treated by Army docs
Khari (Poonch), October 16
An injured Sakura Bi sits disgusted near her quake-damaged house in this village just near the Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK). She has been denied relief by the civil administration on the pretext that why did she get her wounds stitched in a military hospital.

Cabinet expresses grief over loss of life
Srinagar, October 16
The Cabinet here today expressed grief on the loss of life and property due to the earthquake that hit the region on October 8. A two-minute silence was observed to express their sympathies with the victims.

4 militants among 5 killed in valley
Srinagar, October 16
Four militants were among five persons killed in Jammu and Kashmir where an activist of the Hizbul Mujahideen was nabbed since last evening.

Fake currency racket unearthed, three arrested
Srinagar, October 16
Security forces unearthed a fake currency racket and arrested three persons in this connection in Jammu and Kashmir, a Defence spokesman said today.

Trauma disorders set in after quake
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, October 16
While some cases of acute stress reaction have been reported here following the recent earthquake of such a magnitude after 120 years, doctors at the psychiatric hospital expect such patients after one month. They hold that the quake will definitely have adverse impact on the mental state of people of all age groups, particularly children.

Two such cases were reported at the government psychiatric hospital here on Friday and Saturday.

In the first case on Friday it was a 45-year-old man, while in the second case on Saturday it was a 10-year old girl, with acute stress reaction. She was reportedly heeding not to her parents advice and elders in the family and adopted a negative attitude. Both patients were discharged after preliminary treatment at the OPD of the hospital, Dr Mrs Abheena said. More than 20 others, who did not reach the hospital, have separately been treated by doctors following panic reaction due to tremors.

This kind of reaction had also been observed among residents of Waltengoo in south Kashmir, where 250 villagers died as a result of the snowstorm in February this year. A detailed study of mental state of the residents of Waltengoo has been undertaken by Prof Mushtaq Margoob and Dr Arshad Hussain of the Government Psychiatric Hospital.

Somatic reaction of the tragic deaths had been observed among 90 to 93 per cent of population after six months of the tragedy, Dr Arshad Hussain, Registrar said. Such reactions, known as post trauma disorders, after natural disasters like these were bound to happen at a later stage, he said. The disasters are being defined as “disruption in psychological and ecological environment”. In case of Armenian earthquake, such reactions among the survivors were observed after a gap of four to five years, the doctors quoting WHO reports said.

Under prevalent circumstances in Kashmir over the past 16 years of militancy, such cases of acute stress reaction have been commonly found, as the hospital gets at least five or six such patients normally.

To prevent an increase in number of such cases in the aftermath of recent earthquake that led to severs damage to life and property in Tangdhar and Uri areas of Kashmir, various measures are being taken. The psychiatric doctors have already launched a counselling campaign to various government agencies and NGOs undertaking the relief and rescue measures in the affected areas. “It is very important to take care of the mental state of affairs of the affected people rehabilitation work is going on”, said Dr Arshad Hussain. The approach of those extending helping hand to the affected people played a “very important role” in the maintenance of the mental health of those affected, he added.

Most of the people, including children, continue to feel shaky even after a lapse of over one week after the recent earthquake. The feelings like shakiness while working on the computer or reading a newspaper or sipping tea, have become common now. And the first reaction is to have look on the ceiling to confirm by the movement of a hanging light bulb or a fan. The valley has witnessed a number of aftershocks, which has also led to panic among children over the past week.

Aid denied to those treated by Army docs
S.P. Sharma
Tribune News Service

Khari (Poonch), October 16
An injured Sakura Bi sits disgusted near her quake-damaged house in this village just near the Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK). She has been denied relief by the civil administration on the pretext that why did she get her wounds stitched in a military hospital.

She wept bitterly while narrating the sequence to this correspondent. “My house collapsed and I received wounds on my head as the roof fell down. A captain of the Army was generous enough to carry me to his nearby unit where the doctors immediately stitched the wound,” she said.

The tehsildar had now denied aid to Sakura Bi on the pretext that rules did not provide compensation for those who did not get themselves treated in the Civil Hospital.

Not only Sakura Bi, but there were several others who were provided prompt treatment by the army doctors who swung into action almost immediately after the earthquake on October 8. The district hospital at Poonch had collapsed and no doctor or paramedical staff was available there.

Now the district authorities had found a fault with them and have denied compensation to them. These victims were cursing the civil administration for denying compensation to them on frivolous grounds.

There were wide spread complaints about the district administration not taking a compassionate view of the events and just creating hurdles in the way of compensation and relief for these innocent hill people.

The authorities were yet to assess the real extent of loss caused due to the earthquake.

The district authorities had failed to pay attention towards the artificial shortages that were being created by certain traders to fleece the quake-affected persons.

Sobha Ram complained that he was coming daily for a refill of cooking gas cylinder for the past four days in the morning and returned empty handed in the evening after being denied one.

He alleged that cylinders were being sold at a premium of Rs 80 to Rs 100 each without any wait.

The telephone services had not been restored fully even nine days after the quake.

The victims were in dire need of blankets and woollen clothing as the temperature had dipped and their belongings were buried under the rubble.

Cabinet expresses grief over loss of life
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, October 16
The Cabinet here today expressed grief on the loss of life and property due to the earthquake that hit the region on October 8. A two-minute silence was observed to express their sympathies with the victims.

The Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed also reviewed the ongoing relief and rehabilitation operations in the affected areas.

It appreciated the quick response of the Army, Air Force, civil administration, police, Health Department, food supplies and public distribution and other agencies concerned, an official spokesperson said.

It also decided to post some officers in severely affected places for relief and reconstruction work.

Mr B.A. Runiyal, Relief Commissioner, has been made overall in-charge of relief and rehabilitation in Uri.

Mr Runiyal has been given the powers of District Magistrate/Deputy Commissioner.

He will be assisted by Mr Sharief-ud-Din, Additional Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar, who has been advised to report at Uri.

Accordingly, Qamar-ud-Din, Deputy Commissioner, Relief (Migrants), will look after the work of Relief Commissioner (Migrants).

Mr G.M. Rather, awaiting posting of orders, has been posted in Tangdhar to assist Deputy Commissioner, Kupwara.

4 militants among 5 killed in valley

Srinagar, October 16
Four militants were among five persons killed in Jammu and Kashmir where an activist of the Hizbul Mujahideen was nabbed since last evening.

An official spokesman today said two militants belonging to the Hizbul Mujahideen were killed at Poshwari near Mansbal in Baramula district of North Kashmir last evening.

The slain militants had been identified as Farooq Ahmad Ganai and Mohammad Shafi Hajam, he said, adding that two AK rifles, six magazines, 94 rounds and two hand grenades were recovered from their possession.

In another incident, two militants including a Pakistani national of the same outfit — Shabir Ahmed, alias Furkan, and Ghulam Hassan, alias Gazali, a resident of Kokernag, were killed in a gunbattle with the security forces at Kokernag in Anantnag district, the spokesman said.

He said militants hanged to death a farmer Ghulam Mohiuddin Dar at his Arampora Habak village under the Magam police station in Budgam district of Central Kashmir last night.

During checking of vehicles between Khannabal and Noorabad in Anantnag today, the security forces arrested a militant of the Hizbul Mujahideen Peerpanchal regiment from an auto-rickshaw from whom a pistol, a magazine, 8 rounds, two AK magazines, 46 AK rounds, a wireless set and four mobile sim cards were seized.

He was handed over to the police, the spokesman said.

He said militants shot at and injured a woman identified as Zaitoon Begum at Basti Bhaderwah in Doda district today.

The security forces today recovered four kg of brown sugar and cocaine worth Rs 1 crore in the international market from the Bandipora area of Baramula district.

The contraband, concealed in two packets covered with silver foil, was recovered near a school following a specific information about a consignment of drugs passing through Sumlar village near Bandipora, 55 km from here, a defence spokesman said.

Meanwhile, army troops today recovered a bag containing arms and ammunition in a border village of R.S. Pora sector in Jammu division, a defence spokesman said here. — PTI

Fake currency racket unearthed, three arrested