Srinagar, March 28
The bandh call given by the separatist conglomerate passed off peacefully in the Kashmir valley today. The police and the paramilitary personnel maintained a strict vigil across the region and no incidents of protest demonstrations were reported.

The bandh call was given by Muttahida Majlis-e-Mushawarat (MMM), a conglomeration of separatist organisations, including both factions of the Hurriyat Conference, JKLF and others. The MMM was constituted following the execution of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru. It has been demanding the return of the mortal remains of Afzal Guru, executed in Delhi’s Tihar Jail on February 9 this year and JKLF founder leader Mohammad Maqbool Bhat, who was also executed in Tihar Jail on February 11, 1984.

All the shops and business establishments in Srinagar and the adjoining districts of Budgam and Ganderbal remained closed and normal traffic was off the roads. Government offices and banks functioned normally though there was thin attendance in some government offices. Passenger transport was plying in some areas while private vehicles were plying normally across the capital city and elsewhere in other towns of the Valley.

The general strike hit normal life in major towns of north Kashmir districts of Baramulla, Kupwara and Bandipore. Public transport was completely off the roads and shops and commercial establishments remained closed. Thin movement of private vehicles, however, was noticed on roads.

Barring Baramulla and Sopore towns, there was no deployment of the police and paramilitary personnel on the roads, streets and in markets. A majority of schools in north Kashmir either remained closed or witnessed very thin attendance of students and teachers. The government and private offices, including banks, also witnessed very thin attendance of employees in north Kashmir and many of the offices remained closed due to strike.

In Trehgam town of Kupwara district, residents held a peaceful demonstration, sources said. The security forces deployed in strength guarded sensitive areas in Baramulla, including the cement and SRTC bridges in the town. The security men carrying anti-riot gear, including shields and lathis, patrolled the deserted streets in Baramulla and Sopore, sources said.

A very thin movement of private vehicles was noticed in Sopore and Baramulla towns of north Kashmir. Patient care was badly affected in major hospitals in north Kashmir as many doctors could not attend to their duties due to the strike, sources said. The strike also hit normal life in Bandipora district.

The bandh call received a mixed response in major towns of Anantnag, Pulwama, Shopian and Kulgam districts of south Kashmir. Traffic was playing normally in several areas and government offices, banks and educational institutions were also functioning in most of the areas. There were no incidents of any protest demonstrations or clashes from any part of the four districts in south Kashmir.

Srinagar, March 28
The Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) has procured gadgets to detect on the spot adulteration in food items sold in the city markets.

“To conduct routine checks and surprise visits in the market, the SMC will use newly procured gadgets to check food adulteration on spot,” SMC Media Relations Officer Masrat Yousuf said today.

She said SMC Health Officer Dr Rubeena Shaheen along with a team of food safety officers conducted an extensive check across the city to test the newly procured gadgets.

“During inspection, Dr Rubeena dipped the gadget in various food items, including ice creams, pastries, cakes and others,” she said.

“The gadget is an equipment to check proper storage temperature of eatables,” Masrat said.

“The other gadget known as benefit kit equipped with all the reagents that detect adulterants in all food items especially spices, milk and sugar has been put to use during the inspection,” she added.

Masrat said during checking, a large quantity of milk, bakery products, sweets, and other eatables found lacking proper storage temperature and unfit for human consumption was destroyed on the spot.

Dr Rubeena said the new gadgets would help in checking food adulteration. “The SMC has already been taking samples of food items for analysis in its intensified drive for ensuring availability of safe food in the market and the introduction of these gadgets will significantly help in checking adulteration on the spot,” she added.

Kupwara, March 29
The alleged attack by unidentified persons on a deputy sarpanch in Kupwara yesterday is likely to take a dramatic twist. Noor Ahmad Khan, deputy sarpanch of Batpora panchayat in Kupwara district, did not receive firearm injury in the alleged attack but a superficial burn injury, said a source.

Noor, a resident of Bongam Hayhama, was allegedly attacked at 5.40 am yesterday by unknown persons when he was on his way to a nearby mosque to offer prayers. The deputy sarpanch had told the police that unknown assailants attacked and injured him near the mosque.

“It is not a firearm injury. The minor injury he received appears to be a burn injury. The police is investigating the objective as why the deputy sarpanch misled the police that he was attacked and shot at by unknown persons,” the source said.

Doctors at the sub-district hospital, Kupwara, have sent his samples to a forensic laboratory to establish the nature of the injury. “He did not bleed as the injury is superficial. I have not given the final opinion but waiting for the report from the forensic laboratory,” said Dr Ab Khaliq, senior surgeon.

“He did not receive any stitch and has been discharged. He was under OPD observation,” he added. After questioning, the police today released two persons, Maqbool Khan, a contractor and Ward member, and his bother Abdul Rashid Khan, an honorary retired Captain in the Army.

They were arrested yesterday after the deputy sarpanch named them as suspects. Police sources said Noor Khan was being questioned to examine the angle of “self-inflicted” injury.

Kupwara Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Mohd Irshad said the duo arrested for questioning was released today and the police was investigating the incident. “We have released the duo after questioning. We are questioning the sarpanch to know the objective behind his theory of attack,” said the SSP.

Srinagar, March 28
As the 10-day long entrance examinations for 37 postgraduate courses at Kashmir University concluded today, the authorities had to face embarrassment due to glaring mistakes in as many as nine entrance examination papers of various courses.

Out of 60 objective type questions set in each paper, mathematics and statistics had 9 each, geography had 7, Islamic studies had 5, botany had 3, Arabic had 6, zoology had 4, commerce had 3 and education had 2 incorrect questions.

The papers of mathematics, statistics, geography, Arabic, Islamic studies, botany, zoology, commerce and statistics in particular had various objective questions, which were incorrect, and invited criticism from students and teachers alike.

Later, Academic Section of the university had to put up revised answer keys of the questions on its website, where it showed the incorrect questions as having been cancelled.

The examination of masters in social work (MSW) will be re-conducted on April 1 since the students alleged that the question paper (earlier exam conducted on March 26) was out of the syllabus.

The authorities are yet to decide over the fate of papers which carried many wrong questions.

“By tomorrow, we will decide what to do in this case. But, there is no question of re-conducting these papers,” said Prof AM Shah, Dean Academics, Kashmir University.

Meanwhile, thousands of students were aghast over the careless approach of the question paper setters, which could even cost them precious admission seat.

“It is not just a matter of one question. There are many wrong questions in the papers. Who is preparing these question papers, I want to ask the authorities. Our children’s career is at stake. If they cannot even set a question paper correctly, what are they going to teach them,” said an agitated parent, whose son appeared in masters in statistics paper.

Invigilators said many students especially girls were seen crying in the examination halls due to incomprehensible questions, which were finally pointed out to be incorrect.

“Students of zoology, particularly girls, complained of the question paper being set of the postgraduate standards, while it should be of the graduation standards. This will surely affect the students in respect to their admission in the varsity,” an examination official said.

As per the KU officials, university received more than 36,000 entrance applications for admission to various postgraduate courses against a vacancy of 3,000 seats. The examinations were conducted in 26 sessions.

Bijbehara, March 28
As many as 25 students at Government Primary School, New Colony, Bijbehara, put their lives at stake on a daily basis to attend school, with a tin shed as their school and an electric transformer in close proximity.

Braving extreme hot as well as cold weather conditions, these students, mostly girls, are forced to sit in a tin shed exposing them to severe health hazards.

However, health hazards are not the only thing the parents of these children are worried about. At a distance of less than a yard, the Power Development Department has installed a 250 KVA transformer, putting the innocent lives at risk.

Local residents said the transformer was actually located a few hundred metres away from the school, however, an influential person got it removed from there and got it installed right next to the school.

“We have been pleading with the authorities of the PDD, Education department as well as the district administration, but nobody seems to care about the lives of these innocent children,” said a teacher posted at the school.

Sources said the PDD obliged a close relative of a politician from the Opposition and got the transformer installed it near the school.

The parents of these children reluctantly allow their children to go to the school fearing for the safety of their children. “We are poor people and that’s the reason nobody cares about our children,” said a parent. “With their own children studying in posh private schools, the authorities don’t care whatever happens to these poor children,” he said.

Teachers of the school said they had been raising the issue with the higher authorities time and again. However, nothing had been done to safeguard the children, they added.

Another teacher added that they had to be extremely cautious and not let any of the children touch the transformer. “Besides keeping in view the extreme weather 
conditions, it is difficult not only for the children but for us too,” said the teacher.

Chief Education Officer (CEO), Anantnag, Abdul Ahad, said he had taken up the issue with the district administration and hopefully the school would be shifted soon to another place.

“The plan to shift the school was in the pipeline, but the Deputy Commissioner (DC) got transferred,” said the CEO. “I will take up the matter with the new DC and hopefully, it will be done sooner than later,” he added. 

Srinagar, March 28
In the day-long seminar organised by the High Court Bar Association here, the Draft J&K Police Bill-2013 was equated with the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), with participants exhorting for the “outright rejection” of the proposed legislation.

The seminar was held on Wednesday to discuss the different contours of the bill, which has attracted criticism from civil society groups and political quarters, even before being tabled in the Assembly.

“The analysis of the draft of the Police Bill-2013 reveals vast powers are supposed to be given to the J&K police, which are otherwise available to army and other Indian forces under AFSPA,” said former Bar president Advocate Mian Qayoom, while speaking during the seminar at the Sadder Court complex.

The draft was made public by the authorities on February 15 and suggestions were sought within two weeks. However, the bill had evoked a lot of criticism from different quarters, with the opposition, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) saying it would oppose the bill if introduced in the House in its present form.

In his telephonic address to the seminar, hardliner Hurriyat Chairman Syed Ali Geelani termed the draft bill as “draconian” and exhorted upon the lawyers and the people to reject the proposed legislation.

“This law would give unbridled and vast powers to the police, who is already enjoying extra powers in keeping with the black laws in the state,” Geelani said, while asking the lawyers to make common people aware of the bill’s “repercussions.”

Senior High Court lawyer and former Bar president advocate Zaffar Shah said the proposed bill deserved “outright rejection”. “There is no point in even discussing this bill and I endorse the views of Geelani & Yasin Malik that it should be straightaway rejected,” Zaffar said.

He said by rejecting the bill, people should “send a clear message” to the authorities.

In his address on the occasion, High Court Bar Association president, ZA Qureshi said the bill aimed to “perpetuate human rights violations” in the state.

In a bid to allay the criticism of the Bill, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had on February 26 said there was no chance that a bad legislation could pass through such a tight scrutiny.

Srinagar, March 28
The Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kashmir Zone, AG Mir asked the jawans and officers to work for enhancing the security status of their respective areas and go hard on the criminals.

“By enhancing the security status, we will be able to restore complete confidence among the masses,” Mir said, while addressing a darbar of police officers of north Kashmir in District Police Lines, Baramulla, on Wednesday.

“A policeman’s job is noble by its very nature and working with honesty and dedication enhances the repute of the individual and the department,” he said.

Mir emphasised that the officers and other officials manning a police station, the basic unit of the police system, should listen to the complainants and their grievances should be redressed within shortest possible time. He asked them to behave with common man with empathy.

“I assure the jawans that their problems, whenever brought into my notice, will be looked into sympathetically,” he said.

The darbar and meeting was attended by DIG North Kashmir, JP Singh, SP Baramulla, Zubair Ahmad Khan, CPO Courts, Baramulla, Mushtaq Ahmad Zargar, CPO DPO, Baramulla, Sheikh Musharaf and various police and officials of north Kashmir.

Srinagar, March 28
World Theatre Day was celebrated on Wednesday at Delhi Public School, Athwajan, Srinagar, with Kashmiri play ‘Trunouve’, directed by Hayat Bhawani, being presented by Ensemble Kashmir Theatre Akademi (EKTA).

The play was witnessed by 1,000 students with great enthusiasm and spirit.

The duration of the performance was 45 minutes and after the performance concluded, the students interacted with the actors and the director of the play.

After the curtain call, the director of EKTA introduced the team of the play and thanked the school management and principal Kusum Wariko for hosting the play on the day.

Director, EKTA, Bhawani Bashir Yasir addressed the students and briefed them about the significance of the day and the plight of Kashmiri theatre. He also gave an account of the activities of EKTA, the theatre of Kashmir and its significance in the uncongenial circumstances prevailing in Kashmir.

Kusum Warikoo, in her vote of thanks, congratulated EKTA for their performance and the play production which lead the new generation to not only associate themselves with their roots of Kashmiri language and cultural ethos but to the theatre of Kashmir as well.

The occasion was organised by Gulzar Ganai, Associate Director of EKTA and the event was coordinated by Ajaz Rashid.

Srinagar, March 28
The Associated Chamber of Commerce and Industries-Kashmir (CCIK) today urged the centre to devise policies that would bring relief to the Valley’s trading community as it had suffered losses due to the frequent shutdowns and curfews in the last two months.

After an executive committee meeting of the CCIK held here today, Secretary General of the Chamber Dr Rafi Ahmad appealed to the Union Finance Ministry to “device such policies on financial matters for the Kashmir valley which will bring relief and give succour to the trading community”.

“Be it 2008, be it 2010 or the current year, the story remains the same, in which the sufferers are never compensated or given any relief or relaxation. The Union Finance Ministry is requested to direct the financial institutions and banks to take into account the near non-existent trading activities in the Kashmir valley and show some sympathy,” Rafi added.

Srinagar, March 28
Three persons were arrested with 400-kg U-clamps in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, a police spokesman said here today.

“The police has seized 400-kg U-clamps (used in joining two electric wires on eclectic poles) along with nuts and bolts and arrested three persons in this connection near Pattan area of Baramulla,” the spokesman said.

The spokesman said a police team during routine checking intercepted a vehicle and during search of the vehicle, 400-kg stolen U-clamps with nuts and bolts were recovered.

The arrested persons have been identified as Barkat Ali Rather, Irshad Hussain Rather and Reyaz Ahmad Chouhan.

The police has registered a case in this regard and further investigations are on.