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Bail for ‘fake’ fakir’s aides cancelled
PM, Sonia release postage stamp on Kashmiri poet
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Bandh greets PM on Kashmir arrival
Paramilitary personnel stop people during the strike in
Srinagar. Photo: Yawar Kabli
Bears on a killing spree in Handwara villages
Shab-e-Baraat observed with religious fervour
Respite from heat wave round the corner
Residents of Charkote village forced
to drink contaminated water
One killed, 15 injured in road accidents
Electrocution of girl triggers protests
Lobab residents at the Red Fort in New Delhi. A
Tribune photograph
Free heart surgery for poor children at hospital
AIP’s Lal Chowk rally foiled
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Bail for ‘fake’ fakir’s aides cancelled
Srinagar, June 25 While rejecting the bail of the three accused, the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate, Budgam, observed that it would be premature to release them at the stage as many arrests were yet to be made in the case. Gulzar Reshi, alias Syed Gulzar Ahmad Bhat, was arrested on May 21 after four minor girls accused him of raping them. The girls were students at a ‘bogus’ religious seminary founded by Gulzar in the Budgam area. “Gowhar Ahmad Dalal, CJM, Budgam, today rejected the bail application of three girls citing many grounds. The court has said it will be premature to release them at this stage and that the investigators have yet to make many arrests in the case,” a counsel connected with the case said. The Budgam court had reserved the bail pleas of three girls for final orders on June 19, whom the police said were teaching at the bogus religious seminary founded by Gulzar. The girls were arrested on charges of aiding and abetting the crimes committed by Gulzar. While arguing the bail pleas, Mushtaq Ahmad, counsel representing the accused, had submitted that the girls were “just students” at the seminary, not the teachers and had termed the police version as “concocted”. Gulzar, who has been lodged at the Central Jail, Srinagar, is currently serving a police remand. So far, six girls have come forward and recorded their statements before the police against Gulzar. While opposing earlier bail plea of Gulzar, which he had later withdrawn, the police in its report to the court had said that releasing Gulzar at this stage on bail might hinder the arrest of other accused in the case. It had further stated that Gulzar used to “hypnotise” his victims and would play a music player loudly in his “Hujra-e-Pak” (special room) so that nobody outside was able to hear cries of the girls whom he used to rape. |
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PM, Sonia release postage stamp on Kashmiri poet
Srinagar, June 25 “I think it is necessary to tell you that not only our government but the entire country looks with respect at the high values and principles of Kashmir. Our government will provide all kind of help to boost Kashmir’s language, literature and culture,” the Prime Minister said addressing a function here today. He was addressing a gathering at a function for the release of a postage stamp in commemoration of Kashmiri poet Peerzada Ghulam Ahmad Mehjoor held at the Sher-e-Kashmir International Conference Centre (SKICC). The Prime Minister and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi released the postal stamp on the Kashmir poet in presence of Governor NN Vohra, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and others. Speaking on the occasion, the UPA chairperson praised Mehjoor and defined him as “one of the greatest Kashmiri poet” and a social reformer whose poetry "immortalised" him in the Kashmiri literature. The postal stamp commemorating Mehjoor, whom the Prime Minister and the UPA chairperson described as a “revolutionary poet” and hailed him as “doyen of secularism”, was launched at a high-profile function attended by Union Ministers and state’s Council of Ministers. Speaking on the occasion, Omar said that Mahjoor symbolised the thought, hope, brotherhood and heartbeats of the people of Kashmir. He said Shair-i-Kashmir Mahjoor supported the Sher-i-Kashmir Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah’s struggle against the totalitarian system by utilising his pen in an artistic and poetic medium. State Congress Party chief Soz, who is also the patron of the Mehjoor Foundation, read a biographic note about Mehjoor and urged the Prime Minister to declare the poet’s house as a national monument. Those who were present at the ceremony included Union Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, Minister of State in the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology Kruparani Killi, MP and J&K PCC president Saifuddin Soz, ministers and legislators. The event was organised jointly by the Department of Posts, J&K Circle and the J&K Academy of Art, Culture and Languages. Prominent writers, including Gyanpeeth awardee Professor Rehman Rahi, Ghulam Nabi Khayal and MY Taing, were present on the occasion. Prominent broadcaster Abdal Mehjoor, grandson of Ghulam ahmad Mehjoor, was also present on the occasion. |
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Bandh greets PM on Kashmir arrival
Srinagar, June 25 In Lal Chowk and its adjoining markets, which is the commercial heartland of the Kashmir region, roads were deserted and personnel from the state police and the CRPF were manning the streets. The shutdown had been called by several separatist groups, including both the factions of the Hurriyat Conference and pro-independent JKLF to protest against the Prime Minister’s visit. Prime Minister’s two-day visit to the region began today amidst heightened security beef-up. The police and CRPF personnel were deployed in strength across Srinagar city where eight Army soldiers were killed in a militant attack at Hyderpora yesterday. Security personnel had also barricaded major junctions inside the city, including Jehangir Chowk, Amira Kadal, Dalgate and Sanat Nagar. Residents said most of the neighbourhoods of the old city had been sealed and a large number of police and paramilitary personnel were patrolling the streets. No civilian vehicle was being allowed to move on a stretch of the Boulevard road where the Prime Minister, UPA chairman and other high-profile visitors were staying and meeting the delegations. All the entry points into the city had been sealed off by police and no civilian vehicle were being allowed to move in Srinagar city. Schools, colleges and universities along with banks and other private offices also remained closed for the day in wake of the shutdown. Most of the key separatist leaders, including hardline Hurriyat Conference’s Syed Ali Geelani, moderate separatist chief Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and JKLF chief Yasin Malik, were detained inside their residences.
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Bears on a killing spree in Handwara villages
Handwara, June 25 A bear attacked and injured two persons in Tumpora village yesterday evening. The victims, identified as Mohammed Yousuf Lone (25), and Nazir Ahmad Chopan (23), both residents of Tumpora, were attacked by the wild animal when they were working in a vegetable field. Yousuf received an injury in his abdomen while Nazir’s left leg was injured. Both the injured are undergoing treatment in the District Hospital, Handwara. “The Wildlife Department is responsible for the injuries inflicted to two local residents. For the past few weeks, we have been urging the department to use tranquilisers and cages to trap the animals, but our pleas are falling on deaf ears,” said Mohammed Jamal, a local resident. Livestock is increasingly falling prey to the animals in human habitations. Since Sunday, the wild animals have killed cattle, including four sheep, belonging to Bashir Ahmad Khan, Abdul Jabar Bhat, Ghulam Qadir Malik, Mohammed Maqbool Sheikh and Gh Mohammed Sheikh in Kawnar, Wayoosa Rajwar and Magam villages. Residents of Ramhal, Rajwar, Tumpora, Devaspora, Sarmarg and Wadarbala said about a dozen of bears were on the prowl in the villages. They said the increasing movement of wild animals were posing a threat to their lives and livestock. “Bears are roaming like stray dogs. We are living amid a serious threat to our lives and livestock. The scare of animals has hampered our movement to fruit orchards and vegetable fields. The Wildlife Department should take necessary measures to trap the animals posing dangers to humans,” said Mohammed Shafi of Wadarbala. Following resentment by residents of affected villages, the Wildlife Department trapped a bear and later set it free in a forest. “We have set up traps at a few places, including Lachipora and Mawar, and hopefully the bears will be trapped within a few days. People should avoid going into vegetable fields and fruit orchards in the evening,” said Habibullah Khan, a block forest officer.
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Shab-e-Baraat observed with religious fervour
Srinagar, June 25 As per Muslim traditions, Shab-e-Baraat, which means the night of salvation, is observed on the 15th night of the Shabaan month of the Islamic calendar. Besides usual prayers and supplications, a large section of Muslims pray for forgiveness of the deceased members of their families while some also visit graveyards for prayers. Despite the tense situation here yesterday following the killing of eight soldiers at Hyderpora, a large number of people were seen visiting graveyards to pray for deceased. As per local traditions, people are usually seen visiting the residences of their relatives and friends for condolences the day before Shab-e-Baraat where death had occurred during the previous year. Meanwhile, the moderate Hurriyat spokesman flayed the authorities for placing the chairman of the amalgam, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, under house arrest as he usually delivers sermon at the Jama Masjid on the occasion. The spokesman said the devotees, who had come to the Jama Masjid, were ‘saddened’ and ‘angered’ as Mirwaiz was unable to deliver sermon. |
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Respite from heat wave round the corner
Srinagar, June 25 As the day temperature in the summer capital has been hovering around mid 30°C for the last many days, maximum temperature at most parts of the Valley remained above 30°C today. As per an official of the Meteorological Department, Srinagar saw a high of 33.6 °C while the minimum temperature was recorded at 21.6°C. The MeT official said the maximum temperature in the summer capital was around four degrees above normal while the minimum temperature was around five degrees above normal. The maximum temperature at Qazigund, the gateway town to Kashmir, was 31.5 °C while border town Kupwara saw a high of 33.3 °C. Kokernag in south Kashmir recorded 30.4 °C day temperature while tourist resort Pahalgam in south Kashmir saw a high of 28.1°C. The minimum temperatures at Qazigund, Kupwara, Pahalgam and Kokernag stood at 18.2, 18.8, 15.4 and 17.9 °C, respectively. Day temperatures at Leh and Kargil in the Ladakh region, too, hovered above the 30 °C mark. Leh and Kargil recorded 31.6 and 32.2 °C maximum temperatures, respectively. The minimum temperatures at Leh and Kargil were 17.8 and 15.4 °C, respectively.
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Residents of Charkote village forced
to drink contaminated water
Handwara, June 25 They said the water supply to the village was snapped three weeks before and had not been restored so far. The villagers alleged that the Public Health Engineering (PHE) division, Kupwara, had not even provided tanker service to the village forcing them to fetch contaminated water from a nearby nullah. Zoona Begum, a housewife, said, “We are forced to fetch contaminated water from the nullah, which has led to the outbreak of intestinal infection and jaundice”. Another resident Mohd Shafi said, “We made several representations to the office of the Executive Engineer, PHE Division, Kupwara, urging him to restore the water supply to the village, but to no avail. We will be forced to protest if the water supply is not restored at the earliest”. The locals said by delaying the restoration of drinking water to the village, the authorities were playing with their health. “Many are suffering from water-borne diseases due to the consumption of contaminated water. The authorities are playing with our health by forcing us to consume contaminated water,” said Ghulam Hassan, a local. A senior official of PHE Division, Handwara, said the division would soon start tanker service to the affected village till the water supply was restored. “We will provide them drinking water through tankers on a daily basis. The water supply will be restored in a few weeks as we are installing pipes at a few places,” the official said. |
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One killed, 15 injured in road accidents
Srinagar, June 25 “All the injured have been shifted to a hospital where one succumbed to his injuries,” he said. In another accident, a Tata Mobile vehicle, bearing registration number JK03B/6092, hit and injured two pedestrians Mohammad Ramzan
Bhat, son of Abdul Gani Bhat, a resident of Chee Anantnag, and Pachan Kumar, son of Gupta Lal
Danch, a resident of Nepal, working in a hardware shop at KP road,
Anantnag. “Both the injured were shifted to a hospital for treatment. A case has been registered in this regard,” he said. The police said a scooterist Abdul Majeed Baba, son of Ghulam
Mohudin, a resident of Arhama Kangan, was critically injured when his scooter, bearing registration number JK16/2574, skidded off the road near a fishpond in
Sonamarg. Mohammad Hussain, a pillion, son of Jumma Khan, a resident of Kulan
Ganderbal, was also injured in the incident. The injured have been shifted to hospital for treatment. A case has been registered in this regard. |
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Electrocution of girl triggers protests
Kupwara, June 25 The incident took place today when a pile of grass, she was carrying on her head, came in contact with a low-lying live wire. She was coming from Nad
Battagi. The electric shock inflicted serious burns on her body, mostly head, as she fell and died on the spot, reports said. Following the incident, residents held strong protests against the Power Department. They alleged that the negligence of department claimed life of the young woman. They said electric wires were lying low and loose at many places posing threats to the humans and livestock. “The negligence of the department has claimed her life and the officials responsible should be given stern punishment. The electric lines are lying low posing serious threat to human beings and livestock, but the department is doing nothing to avoid such incidents,” said Ghulam Hassan Khan, a local resident. Another resident Zahoor Ahmad said, “We pay the power tariff to the department even when the supply is snapped for days, but the department has never bothered to erect poles and tie the lines properly. Had the live electric wire been placed at a suitable height, the incident could have been avoided.” |
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Lolab residents return from integration tour
Kupwara, June 25 The tour which was flagged off from Gujjarpati on June 14 gave an opportunity to the participants to visit
Udhampur, Amritsar, Hisar, Delhi and Ambala. According to a press release, the participants witnessed the religious tolerance and secular image of the country when they visited the famous Golden temple in Amritsar. They also visited the Jallianwala Bagh Maharaja Ranjit Singh Museum and Wagha Border where they were mesmerised to see the retreat ceremony jointly conducted by the
para-military forces of India and Pakistan. At Hisar, the participants visited the Feroze Shah Palace and Fort and Jahaz Kothi and many other places of interest. At Ambala, they met the Panchayat members of nearby villages and were given exposure of green houses, poultry farming and latest technology in agriculture being utilised by the farmers of Haryana at National Agricultural Research Institute. They also visited an armoured regiment at Ambala and had a close look at tanks. The tour was received by Brig DP
Pandey, Commander 8 Sector and Col Harpreet Singh, CO, 28 Rashtriya Rifles. |
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Free heart surgery for poor children at hospital
Srinagar, June 25 Parents and guardians of such children, who are desirous of availing the opportunity can register with KK Langar, the Chief Coordinator, Rotary Club. Such patients can also get themselves registered at Srinagar with the Kids’ Rehabilitation Clinic, Society for Special Children, located at Pandrethan. “Preliminary screening of the patients will be done by experts at Jammu on July 5. If the patients desire, arrangements can also be made for it at Srinagar as well”, the statement said. The final screening of the children will be held on July 21 at the Government Hospital, Gandhi Nagar, Jammu. The cost of open surgery to be done at Fortis Escorts Heart Institute, New Delhi will be met by the Rotary Club, J&K under the scheme called “Gift of Life”. |
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AIP’s Lal Chowk rally foiled
Srinagar, June 25 He flayed the authorities for foiling their march and also placing AIP president Er Rasheed under house arrest from yesterday who was supposed to lead the march. “We wanted to rally at the Lal Chowk to protest against the Centre’s ‘failure’ to resolve the Kashmir issue. The visits of Prime Minister Manmoham Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and announcement of packages are a mere show off and we want India to take serious steps by talking to the real representatives of the people,” Nadvi added. He also flayed the authorities for placing restrictions in view of the Prime Minister’s visit.
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Markets, schools and universities were closed today as the Valley remained shut in response to a bandh called by several separatist groups to protest against Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s visit.
The shutdown crippled transport services on all the routes as residents stayed indoors and most of the shops and markets downed their shutters.
