Srinagar, July 14
The death of a 23-year-old local youth under mysterious circumstances in Mumbai sparked off protests and triggered clashes in the downtown locality of the city today. Four protesters were injured in the clashes.

Parvaiz Ahmad Teli, a resident of Qalamdanpora, Nawab Bazar, old city, went missing on July 7 in Mumbai and his body was found in the business capital early on July 9. A missing report was also lodged at a police station in Mumbai.

As the news of his death spread in the morning, youngsters of his locality came to the streets and threw stones at the police and paramilitary personnel. Shopkeepers also downed their shutters in various parts of the downtown.

Teli’s family and the protesters alleged that he was murdered for being a Kashmiri.

“He was working as a salesman for Kashmir arts in Bangalore and had recently shifted to Mumbai. We are sure that he was murdered for being a Kashmiri,” alleged Tariq Ahmed, a resident of Nawab Bazar locality who was part of the protest.

As the body of Teli reached his home, hundreds of people thronged his residence and attended the funeral prayers.

The protesters later threw stones at the Nowhatta police station and police personnel lobbed teargas shells and fired pellet guns in which four persons were injured.

Additional police deployment was rushed to the volatile downtown area to keep the situation under control.

Deputy Inspector General of Police, central Kashmir, Ahfad-ul-Mujtaba said Teli’s body was recovered in Mumbai on July 9.

“A case has been registered at a police station in Mumbai and they are investigating the case. The post-mortem of the body has also been conducted in Mumbai,” Mujtaba said.

Meanwhile, a group of unidentified masked men today appeared in an old city locality and called for a shutdown on Monday to protest the death of Teli.

Police sources said they were in touch with their Mumbai counterparts to know the case of Teli’s mysterious death.

Srinagar, July 14
Hardline separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani has demanded an independent probe into the death of a downtown youth in Mumbai, while terming his killing a “murder”. In a statement, Geelani blamed “communal elements” in Maharashtra for his “murder”.

Parvez, who hailed from Kalamdan Pora, Nawab Bazar, went missing in Mumbai on July 7. The local police said he went missing somewhere in Mumbai after he left his cousin to get some cigarettes but did not return.

“Parvez Ahmad Teli has either been killed by the secret agencies or by the communal elements only because he was a Kashmiri Muslim,” Geelani said in a statement while expressing solidarity with the bereaved family.

The hardline leader said the victim’s family had approached the state police about the disappearance of Teli, but the police did not pay any heed to the family request to ascertain the whereabouts of their son.

“The local police is fast when it comes to taking action against local youth, but when the family sought their help, they were categorically told that the J&K police cannot do anything in this regard,” Geelani said while demanding an independent probe into the circumstances leading to the killing of Teli in Mumbai.

Geelani said it was the third incident wherein a Kashmiri youth had been killed outside the state.

“Outside Kashmir, every Kashmiri is being looked upon with suspicion. There is no guarantee about the safety of Kashmiri youth in other states,” he said.

Meanwhile, in a statement, the spokesman of the moderate Hurriyat faction while expressing anguish over the mysterious killing of the youth in Mumbai said such incidents were becoming a routine now.

Kupwara July 14
Poor services of BSNL continue to irk mobile users in Kupwara for the past few months. Irked over poor services, subscribers said they were unable to receive or make calls.

The subscribers threatened to surrender their SIM cards and stop paying the bills, if the services were not improved.

They said despite repeated requests to the higher officials, the services had not been improved. "The services are so poor that it is impossible to make or receive calls under the same roof. We will be forced to surrender our SIM cards if the company does not improve its services within a week," said Mohd Afzal, a local resident.

Altaf Ahmad, a teacher, said, “Mobile subscriber is not reachable” is often heard when one attempts to make a call. Under the mobile tower, the cell phone flashes “no network coverage” on its screen.”

Many other subscribers said mobile towers disappear from the mobile screens for hours and “network busy” was often displayed when they attempt to make calls.

“The mobile towers go down when the electricity supply is snapped. In spite of having generators for each tower, the employees do not run the generators for continuation of mobile signal," said Firdous Ahmad, a trader.

Srinagar, July 14
While people of the Valley continue to keep around 16 hours long fasts amid hot weather conditions, the weather department has forecast that the heat wave is likely to continue.

Light showers are expected after three to four days, but no moderate to heavy rain is expected that would give some respite to the people in the coming days of Ramadan.

Director, Meteorological office, Sonam Lotus said hot weather conditions would continue to remain in place in the coming days across the Valley. However, he said light spells of rain were expected during the mornings and evenings of July 17 and 18 even as moderate to heavy rainfall was likely in Jammu region during these two days.

Pertinently, the locals in Kashmir have been eagerly waiting for a wet spell after the onset of Ramadan. “This year, the duration of fasting days has been the longest in the last three decades or so. Rain would definitely give some respite from the heat wave especially to those observing fast. Keeping a fast during hot weather is much tougher,” said Afaq Ahmad, a local.

Meanwhile, most parts of the Valley continued to witness above normal day temperature.

Srinagar as per an official of the Meteorological Department recorded 33.3 degrees Celsius maximum temperature. The MeT official said the day temperature in the city was three degrees above normal.

Similarly, border town Kupwara recorded the maximum temperature at 32.3 degrees while Qazigund, the gateway town to Kashmir saw a high of 30.5 degrees. Tourist resort Pahalgam in south Kashmir recorded the maximum temperature at 27.8 degrees.

The minimum temperature in Srinagar, Qazigund, Kupwara and Pahalgam stood at 19.5, 16.5, 17.3 and 13.6 degrees Celsius respectively. While the weatherman has forecast dry weather conditions across the Valley during the next 24 hours, rain is expected at isolated places in Jammu region.

Srinagar, July 14
Two persons were killed and four others injured in different road accidents across the Kashmir valley. The police said a tipper bearing registration number JK05C/1541 hit a pedestrian, Wali Mohammad Malik, at Bongam in Pattan in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district resulting in his death on the spot last evening.

The Kunzar police has registered a case in this regard.

In another accident, a tractor turned turtle at Nowpora in Baramulla, resulting in serious injuries to tractor driver Akhter Ahmad Lone, a resident of Nowpora. He was shifted to the district hospital, Baramulla, where he succumbed to his injuries. A case was registered at the Kreeri police station.

The police said an Innova car on its way from Baltal to Jammu turned turtle on the national highway near Neepora under the jurisdiction of Qazigund police station. Four persons travelling in the car received injuries in the mishap.

“All the injured were shifted to the district hospital Anantnag, for treatment,” the police said.

The Qazigund police has registered a case in this regard.

Srinagar, July 14
The state government has taken a strong note of exorbitantly higher air fare for the ‘repeat pilgrims’ of Srinagar in comparison with Delhi or other embarkation points as prescribed by the Haj Committee of India.

Srinagar, July 14
With a view to boosting sale and export of handloom and handicraft products, the state government has fully exempted Value Added Tax (VAT) on crewel cloths, embroidered chain stitch fabrics and their made ups from the current financial year onwards.

This was announced by the Minister of State for Industries and Commerce, Sajad Ahmed Kichloo, while speaking to a gathering of handloom weavers, handcrafts artisans, tourists and Amarnath yatris, after inaugurating a 15-day-long Special Handloom Expo-2013 at Sonamarg-Amarnathji yatra base camp today.

Kichloo said government was making every effort to uplift the living standard of handloom weavers, adding that 8,000 modern looms each costing Rs 55,000 were being distributed to weavers free of cost. He said about 15,000 weaver families had been covered under the Weavers’ Health Insurance Scheme.

“The Special Handloom Expo has been organised by the J&K Handloom Development Department and sponsored by the Development Commissioner Handlooms, Union Ministry of Textiles with a view to showcase world famous handloom products and to enable tourists and Amarnath pilgrims to get genuine products at reasonable rates.

“The expo will also provide platform to handloom weavers to sell their products directly to the customers without exploitation of the middlemen,” the minister said.

Kichloo asked the weavers to avail benefits of various welfare schemes introduced by the government. He also instructed the officers of the Handicrafts Department to ensure that benefits of different welfare schemes reach the genuine weavers.

He called for launching comprehensive awareness campaign to educate the weavers about various welfare schemes.

Srinagar, July 14
Even though the police released most of the separatist leaders, who were either put under house arrest or detained in police stations on Saturday, it continued the house arrest of Hardline Hurriyat chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani and his supporters.

According to a Hurriyat spokesman, Syed Ali Shah Geelani continues to be under house arrest at his Hyderpora residence.

Authorities in Kashmir on Saturday had placed many separatist leaders under house arrest to prevent protest marches on Martyrs' Day. Apart from Geelani, other leaders to be placed under house arrest were Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, JKLF head Yasin Malik, Democratic Freedom Party leader Shabbir Shah and National Front Chairman Nayeem Khan. — TNS

Kupwara, July 14
The scare of wild animals continues to haunt people in north Kashmir, especially those living close to the forest areas. Residents of many remote villages in Baramulla and Kupwara districts said the animals were moving in groups in villages and posing great danger to their lives. They said apart from humans, livestock continues to fall prey to attacks from wild animals.

During the past three days, wolves killed two minor boys in two hamlets of Kreeri village in Baramulla district. A pack of wolves killed Yasir Khan, son of Manzoor Ahmed Khan, near his house in Harushnar Kreeri on Friday and 12-year-old Adil Ahmad in Hale hamlet of Kreeri village on Saturday.

The most affected villages reeling under scare of wild animals in Handwara include Hanjishot, Warpora, Rajwar, Rajpora, Zachaldara, Bawan, Shanu, Shatgund, Muqam, Harwat, Ringpath, Kaynyal, Badbukh, Hanga and Manzgam.

Locals said leopards and wolves were roaming in the villages posing serious dangers to their lives. They said they were forced to stay away from working in fruit orchards and vegetables fields due to the fear of attacks from wild animals.

“Children are more prone to attacks from wild animals. We are forced to abstain from work in fields and orchards as animals mostly take shelter in fields and attack humans and livestock,” said Zahoor Ahmad Sheikh from Mawar.

“Leopards are freely roaming in Mawar and its adjoining villages and dozens of cattle have been killed. The animals have confined us within our houses,” he added.

Residents of Moori, a remote village in Lolab, said the animals come down to villages in even during the day. They said the livestock was increasingly falling prey to the wild animals.

“Almost every day, we spot a leopard and bear in the village. The wild animals have devoured dozens of cattle here. The increasing scare of these animals has confined us indoors,” said Latif Ahmad of Moori in Lolab.

Residents of Chowkibal, 26-km from Kupwara, said they were living amid constant fear of attacks from wild animals. They said the movement of animals in their village had become a routine matter and wild authorities were watching as mute spectators. The residents appealed the wildlife authorities to take necessary steps to trap the animals.

“The animals have devoured dozens of cattle in our village. People are scared of moving freely even during the daytime. We will be forced to take to the streets if the wildlife department did not take measures to curb the movement of wild animals,” said Ghulam Hassan, a local resident.

A wildlife official said, “People should not venture into orchards and vegetable fields as animals often take shelter at such places. We have laid traps at some sensitive places and are hopeful to trap animals.”

Srinagar, July 14
Minister for New and Renewable Energy Farooq Abdullah visited the Pethub monastery at Ulaanbaatar in Mongolia and paid his respects to Kushok Bakula Rinpoche, an official statement said today.

“Abdullah interacted with the monks and visited a photo exhibition displaying the life and times of 19th Kushok Bakula Rinpoche. Recalling Rinpoche as India's Ambassador in Mongolia, senior statesman, international diplomat and one of the best-known lamas of Ladakh, Abdullah also remembered his contribution on fostering better ties between India and Mongolia and his efforts in furthering Buddhism in Mongolia. He also praised his contribution as an MP and his deep engagement with welfare and education issues,” the statement added.

Later, Abdullah attended ‘Nadaam’-the biggest festival in the Mongolian calendar. Nadaam festivities, as per the statement, included a colourful parade of athletes, monks, soldiers, musicians and people dressed as ancient warriors. It is also known for competitions in the country’s most popular sports- the ‘manly sports’ of horse racing, archery, and Mongolian wrestling.

Abdullah was in Ulaanbataar on a two-day visit to represent India at the inaugural ceremony of the Mongolian President Tsakhia Elbegdorj, who has been re-elected to a second four-year term. Abdullah also met Foreign Minister Lu Bold and Minister of Environment and Green Development Sanjaasuren Oyun.

Srinagar, July 14
The Mashkoh Warriors of Baramulla-based Dagger Division organised a medical camp for locals at Naugam in Mawar in north Kashmir yesterday. “In the camp, health checkups were carried out and free medicines were provided to the villagers of Mawar valley who suffered from various medical ailments,” a defence spokesman said.

A total of 209 patients, including women and children, were examined by a team of five doctors, one from the Army and four provided by Block Medical Office, Langate.

“The Army facilitated the movement of the sick and needy villagers to the medical camp. Some needy locals were also provided with blankets and other assistance,” the spokesman said.

The Army also felicitated the local doctors on the occasion for their assistance in conducting the medical camp.