Srinagar, March 10
A woman in Srinagar who had developed complications due to exposure to pepper gas this week has lost her five-month pregnancy after meeting an accident when she was being shifted to a safer place at her home.

After developing complications on Thursday evening, the lady Yasmeena, hailing from Wantpora Hawal in downtown Srinagar, was immediately rushed by her family to Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) Srinagar, where she was operated upon by doctors and her foetus was terminated.

The medical records of the lady, a copy of which lies with the The Tribune, indicate that the lady was admitted in the gynaecology and obstetrics department of the SKIMS Srinagar on March 7 at 6.15 pm and the placenta was removed by the surgeons after administration of anaesthesia.

The medical records and the discharge certificate issued by the hospital also corroborate the claims of the relatives that the lady had five-month pregnancy and that she was operated upon.

“On that day, there were some clashes going on between the protesters and the security forces in the area near our home. The police and the security forces then lobbed pepper gas, which spread in the whole area and also entered the rooms in our house,” Yasmeena’s brother-in-law Mohammad Iqbal Shah told the Tribune while narrating the sequence of events which led to the termination of her pregnancy.

“My sister-in-law, who had conceived after 10 years of marriage and was expecting her first child, was on the second floor of the house on the terrace when she came to the first floor, crying and coughing. She said something had happened to her after inhaling the pepper gas,” Shah said.

“As she was narrating this, she stumbled and fell down on the floor and after some time, a fleshy mass come out, after which, we rushed her to SKIMS, where she was operated upon by the doctors in the operation theatre under emergency,” he said.

Adding that she was discharged by the doctors today, Shah squarely blamed the pepper gas for termination of Yasmeena’s pregnancy.

“Our entire family is under shock and the whole locality is mourning this incident. But we want to make it clear that it is the pepper gas which has caused termination of her precious pregnancy,” Shah said while appealing to the government and human rights activists and organisations to take note of the blatant use of pepper gas in civilian and residential areas.

“I want to appeal to the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah that instead of shedding crocodile tears in the Assembly, he should take note of the tragedy that has befallen our family and ban the use of poisonous pepper gas in Kashmir,” added another relative of Yasmeena.

Pepper gas life-threatening: Experts

y The State Human Rights Commission, while taking suo motu cognisance of news reports about use of pepper gas and its harmful effects last week, had issued an interim recommendation to the state’s police authorities for stopping the use of pepper gas. Besides, the experts and the doctors, while warning about the harmful and hazardous effects of pepper gas, have termed it life-threatening.

y “If a patient of bronchitis or asthma inhales this gas or comes in contact with pepper gas, he can have severe bronchial or asthmatic attack, which can be life-threatening if immediate medical relief is not provided,” Dr Naveed Nazir Shah, who is Assistant Professor at the Chest Diseases Hospital Srinagar, said. Pepper gas, experts say, contains an active ingredient called Capsaicin which is derived from the capsicum, and is highly irritating.

Kupwara, March 10
Restrictions continued in some parts of north Kashmir including Baramulla town for the sixth consecutive day today. Central Reserve Police Force and police deployed in Baramulla and Lalpora Lolab of Kupwara district enforced the restrictions and did not allow any movement. Cops foiled the attempt of protests by some youth in old town Baramulla and Lalpora, sources said.

Protests were held against detention of youth at Kulangam and Handwara in Kupwara district soon after shops opened this morning. The protesters were demanding release of youth detained by police during the past three days. They blocked the Handwara-Langate road and raised slogans against police.

Trouble erupted when a police team this morning raided some houses in Harpora near Handwara and arrested four youths. The locals including women and children 
came out of their houses and held protests against the arrests. They demanded immediate release of the youths and alleged that the cops ransacked a few houses during the raid. The protests soon spread to the main town Handwara and shopkeepers downed their shutters in panic.

“Cops arrested my son only on the basis of suspicion. He never went to the main road during the past days of tension, what to speak of indulging in stone-pelting. How can a boy be arrested on charges of stone-throwing when he never resorted to the act?” said Ghulam Qadir Bhat, father of Tariq Ahmad Bhat. Tariq, 24, was one among four boys arrested by cops this morning from Harpora near Handwara.

Police and Central Reserve Police Force did not allow the protesters to move towards Kulangam where protests were already going on. Traffic movement on Sopore-Srinagar highway remained affected for about an hour due to the protests.

Following assurances by a middle-rung police officer that the youth would be released by this evening, people called off protests around 4 pm.

Strict restrictions continued for the third consecutive day in Lalpora village of Lolab valley in Kupwara district. Cops foiled the attempt of protests by locals by resorting to lathicharge, sources said. At least 60 families from Mir Mohalla and Ganie Mohalla of village Lalpora left their homes for want of safety in other Mohallas of village, sources said.

Presidents of all mohallas of old town in Baramulla held a meeting with the Kupwara Deputy Commissioner. They apprised the Deputy Commissioner of alleged excesses by cops in the past days of tension, sources said. They urged the Deputy Commissioner to use his influence and get the detained youth released from police custody for restoration of peace. “Soldiers responsible for Tahir’s cold-blooded killing on Tuesday should be given stern punishment under law,” the Deputy Commissioner was told.

Srinagar, March 10
The students of Masters in Journalism course at Islamic University of Science and Technology (IUST), Awantipora, have criticised the management for failing to provide the department with standard infrastructure, especially for undertaking practical work during the academic course.

Students say a large studio hall which was in possession of the department where editing of news features and documentary film-making was done has now been occupied by the administrative section of the university.

Students added that due to lack of availability of proper space except for in their classrooms, their practical work has suffered to a great extent, which could have a telling effect on their pursuit of careers in the broadcast media fields.

“Documentary filmmaking and creating news features are core components of our course, which we have been unable to do. The infrastructure is poor and to add to that, there is little space available for conducting the practical classes,” a student wishing anonymity, who is pursuing Mass Communication at Islamic University of Science and Technology, Awantipora, said.

Monisa Qadri, in-charge, journalism department at Islamic University of Science and Technology, told Kashmir Tribune that the students have been able to complete all the practical work of the course and that the presence/absence of a studio hall has hardly made any difference.

“I don’t think their (students’) claims are fair. There isn’t any major infrastructure lapse in the department and we are well aware of the various modules of the course and how we should go about teaching them,” Monisa said.

Srinagar, March 10
After holding a nightlong pooja, Kashmiri Pandits celebrated the Maha Shivratri festival called Hairat in local parlance with fervour today.

The Pandits consider Hairat the crown of all festivals and a lot of hustle and bustle used to be witnessed across the Valley on this day before the eruption of militancy. However, even after the migration of Pandits from the Valley after militancy, the non-migrants have been celebrating the festival with fervour.

Chunni Lal, a local Pandit, said they usually offer nightlong pooja on Hairat eve and they pray to Lord Shiva and Parvati with offerings of walnuts that are placed in watuk (earthen pots). He said Pandits across Kashmir held nightlong pooja at their respective homes. Lal said the Pandits consider the night before main Maha Shivratri very pious and therefore they offer pooja all night long. He said the marriage of Lord Shiva and Parvati had taken place on this night. “Hairat, for us, signifies coming from darkness to light,” he added.

Lal, also a member of the Hindu Welfare Society Kashmir (HWSK), said Hairat is celebrated by wishing people and special delicacies are also prepared and pooja is offered for four days. While the hustle and bustle that was usually seen during Hairat celebrations before the eruption of militancy is not to be seen anymore, he said the non-migrant Pandits here nevertheless have been keeping their age-old traditions alive.

While Governor NN Vohra and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had issued statements greeting the people on the auspicious occasion of Mahashivratri yesterday, J&K Pradesh Congress president Prof Saifuddin Soz too greeted people on the auspicious occasion today. In a statement, Soz said, “This auspicious occasion is a symbol of communal harmony and reflection of brotherhood among Kashmir Pandits and Muslims who have always been celebrating this festival with great enthusiasm.”

Srinagar, March 10
While restrictions in north Kashmir’s old Baramulla town continued for the sixth consecutive day, J&K Director General of Police (DGP) Ashok Prasad reviewed the law and order situation at a high-level meeting in Baramulla.

The meeting was attended by Additional Director General of Police, Law and Order, K Rajindra, Inspector General of Police, Kashmir, SM Sahai, Deputy Inspector General, north Kashmir, Rajesh Kumar, General Officer Commanding, 19 infantry Division, Major General VG Khandare, senior police and CRPF officials.

An official who attended the meeting said the police chief was briefed about the situation in Baramullah district, Sopore, Bandipore and Kupwara.

“The DGP later directed the officers to show maximum restraint while dealing with the law and order situation. He also advised that residents should not suffer when the restrictions are in place,” said the official.

The latest series of protests across the Valley had erupted after a 25-year-old youth Tahir Sofi was allegedly shot dead by the Army in the old locality of the town on March 5. Since the killing of the youth other parts of the Valley also witnessed spontaneous protest and shutdown for almost four days. However, life returned to normalcy in various parts of the Valley on Saturday but strict restrictions continued to be in place in Baramulla town. All the routes that connect the old town to the main town were sealed by the Police and CRPF.

The sources said these restrictions were likely to continue even on Monday.

The residents of the old town locality, who have formed a coordination committee after the killing of Sofi, have sought shifting of the Army camps from the area. 

Srinagar, March 10
The Army has taken a group of 25 students and their teachers from Pulwama district in south Kashmir for a national integration tour to different parts of India.

During their 12-day-long motivational tour, the group will visit different places in Maharashtra, particularly Mumbai and Pune, an Army spokesman said here.

“A group of 25 boys and their two school teachers from remote areas of Pulwama district have set out on a 12-day journey, as a part of national integration-cum-motivational tour to Pune and Mumbai”, the spokesman said.

The students, apart from visiting places of tourist interest like Gateway of India, Marine Drive, Naval Dock Yard, Haji Ali Dargah, Elephanta Caves and Prince of Wales Museum at Mumbai, would also visit the National Defence Academy in Pune, the spokesman added.

“During the course of the tour, the children will not only be exposed to the rich culture and heritage of our nation but will also witness the advancements made in all fields”, he said.

The students would also get an opportunity to visit places of historical importance and educational institutes and meet a number of dignitaries, both civil as well as from the Army, the spokesman added.