News Analysis India

Tag: Jammu and Kashmir

  • Father of youth killed in Hyderpora encounter seeks return of body

    Express News Service

    SRI NAGAR: After J&K authorities exhumed bodies of two Srinagar residents killed in the Hyderpora encounter and handed the bodies over to families for burial, the father of another slain civilian has demanded return of the mortal remains of his 22-year-old son Aamir Magray. 

    Meanwhile, Kashmir observed a shutdown on Friday adhering to the call by the Hurriyat Conference against “civilian killings”. “I want justice. My son Aamir was not a militant. I want return of mortal remains of Aamir so that we can give a proper burial to his body,” Aamir’s father Lateef Magray, a resident of Ramban district, told this newspaper.

    According to Lateef, he met the DC and the SP of Ramban and they told him they would raise the issue with the authorities concerned.“I urge Lt Governor Manoj Sinha to return the mortal remains of my son,” said Lateef, who in 2005 had killed a militant and was given bravery medal by then J&K Governor N N Vohra.

    “I had worked with the army for five years against militants. And how can the son of the person, who all through his life had fought militants, be a militant. They have labelled us militants too,” said Lateef, adding, “Aamir was working as an office boy in the office of Dr Mudasir Gul (one of the four killed in the encounter)”.

    CPI (M) leader and Gupkar spokesman Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami also urged the administration to return the body of Aamir to the family as it has been “proven beyond any doubt that he was a civilian”.  “Aamir Magrey is yet to be given a decent burial by his mourning family. The fact that these families are begging for mortal remains instead of asking for justice reflects their lack of faith in the system. His body must be returned immediately,” tweeted PDP chief and former CM Mehbooba Mufti.

    Other political parties and the Hurriyat have also demanded return of mortal remains of Aamir to his family.Normal life in Kashmir was affected by the shutdown called by Hurriyat Conference. All shops and business establishments in Srinagar and other parts of the Valley remained closed while a few vehicles plied on the roads.

  • Decision to repeal farm laws welcome step, hope Centre reverses illegal changes in J&K too: Mehbooba

    By PTI

    SRINAGAR: PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on Friday said the Centre’s decision to repeal three contentious farm laws is a welcome step and expressed hope that the Union government “course corrects” and “reverses the illegal changes” made in Jammu and Kashmir since August 2019.

    “Decision to repeal farm laws & an apology is a welcome step, even though it stems from electoral compulsions & fear of drubbing in elections. Ironical that while BJP needs to please people in rest of India for votes, punishing & humiliating Kashmiris satisfies their major votebank,” she wrote on Twitter.

    ​ALSO READ | PM Narendra Modi orders repeal of three farm laws ahead of Assembly polls in five states

    The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) chief alleged that the decision on August 5, 2019 to abrogate the provisions of Article 370 of the Constitution and bifurcate the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir into Union territories was taken by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) only to please its voters.

    “Desecrating Indian constitution to dismember & disempower J&K was done only to please their voters. I hope they course correct here too & reverse the illegal changes made in J&K since August 2019,” the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister said.

  • Encounter underway between security forces, militants in Kulgam

    By PTI

    SRINAGAR: An encounter is underway between security forces and militants in Kulgam district of Jammu and Kashmir, police said Wednesday evening.

    Security forces launched a cordon and search operation in Pombay area of Kulgam in south Kashmir on receiving specific inputs about the presence of militants there, a police official said.

    He said the search operation turned into an encounter after the militants fired upon the security forces party. The exchange of fire is still going on and further details are awaited, the official said.

  • Two policemen killed, four injured in road accident in J&K’s Poonch

    By PTI

    JAMMU: Two policemen were killed and four others injured Tuesday when their official vehicle skidded off the road and fell into a river in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir, officials said.

    The accident took place at Drogzian village of Bufliaz area when the driver of one of the escort vehicles of the Senior Superintendent of Police, Poonch, lost control, the officials said.

    They said six policemen were rescued in injured condition and were rushed to sub-district hospital in Surankote, where one of them was declared brought dead by the doctors and four others were referred to Government Medical College (GMC) Hospital in Rajouri for specialised treatment.

    One of the four injured policemen succumbed to his injuries at the Rajouri hospital, the officials said.

    They said the police party led by SSP Poonch Vinod Kumar was returning from Peer Ki Gali along Mughal road where they had gone to provide security to the visiting Divisional Commissioner, Jammu, Raghav Langer.

    Langer along with Deputy Commissioner Poonch Inder Jeet and SSP Poonch visited sub-division hospital in Surankote and enquired about the health of the injured policemen.

  • J&K’s Hyderpora encounter: Slain Mohammad Amir’s father claims his son was not militant

    By PTI

    BANIHAL: Refuting the Jammu and Kashmir police’s claim that his son was a militant and was with a Pakistani terrorist when he was killed in Hyderpora encounter, Mohammad Latief Magray on Tuesday asked if this was the reward for being a nationalist and killing a militant with bare hands in his village over 15 years ago.

    Magray, a resident of Gool tehsil in Ramban district and father of Mohammad Amir, appealed to Lt Governor Manoj Sinha to provide ‘justice to his family’ and also return the body of his son for proper burial.

    According to police, Amir and his Pakistani accomplice were killed in an encounter along with two others in Hyderpora locality of Srinagar on Monday evening, where an illegal call centre and a terror hideout were allegedly being run.

    ALSO READ | Hyderpora encounter: Cops say businessman killed in ‘crossfire’ to be counted as harbourer of terrorists

    A controversy erupted over the encounter following conflicting claims about the two deceased civilians — Altaf Bhat and Mudassir Gul – as their family members contested the police’s charge that they were “terror associates”, prompting demands by parties like the PDP and the NC for an impartial probe.

    Inspector-General of Police (Kashmir range) Vijay Kumar maintained that Gul was an active associate of militants and was running the illegal call centre.

    Altaf had given him the premises on rent.

    Magray said it was very unfortunate that his son is being dubbed as a militant.

    “My son was working with Altaf as an office boy for the last five months and was not a militant. After hearing about the news of his killing this morning, I along with some villagers visited Srinagar to bring back his body but was denied the same by police who claimed that he was a militant,” he told reporters here.

    ​ALSO READ | J&K: Doctor injured in Hyderpora encounter succumbs to injuries

    “We are nationalists and I myself killed a militant with bare hands in 2005. My sister and I escaped death with multiple bullet injuries when terrorists attacked our house to take revenge and forced us to migrate to Udhampur district,” he said and lamented, “Is this the reward for the sacrifice of my family?” After they returned to their village from Udhampur in 2011, the government set up a police picket for their protection in view of militant threats, he said, adding “the picket is still there”.

    According to locals, a militant Yasir Bhat of Gool was killed when Magray hit his head with a stone at his home in 2005.

    Magray said he raised his son in very difficult circumstances and sent him to Deoband Islamic Seminary where he had memorised the holy Quran by heart.

    He had also got his education in Islamic seminaries in Srinagar and Bandipora.

    He appealed to the Lt Governor for an impartial probe into the incident to provide ‘justice’ to his family and return the body of his son for proper burial.

  • Top police officer stresses on need for proactive counterterrorism operations in J&K’s Rajouri, Poonch

    By PTI

    JAMMU: A top police officer Tuesday stressed on the need for enhanced security measures and proactive counterterrorism operations to frustrate the attempts by Pakistan-sponsored elements to disturb peace in Jammu and Kashmir’s twin border districts of Poonch and Rajouri.

    The assertion of Jammu Zone Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Mukesh Singh came in the backdrop of the recent encounters between terrorists and security forces in the two districts.

    Singh also emphasised strict vigilance along the Line of Control (LoC) to prevent infiltration attempts and reactivation of border police posts, a police spokesperson said.

    Nine army personnel were killed by terrorists in Surankote and Mendhar forests in Poonch district last month.

    Accompanied by deputy inspector general of police, Rajouri-Poonch Vivek Gupta, the ADGP conducted two-day extensive tour of the two border districts and reviewed the present security scenario, the spokesperson said.

    The ADGP also chaired a high-level meeting with senior police, army and Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) and civil officers.

    Representatives of intelligence agencies apprised the meeting about the present security scenario in the border districts, the spokesperson said.

    “Pakistan-sponsored elements are time and again making attempts to damage peaceful atmosphere to disturb normal life. These evil attempts would be dealt with fortitude,” Singh told the meeting.

    He stressed for enhanced security measures and proactive counterterrorism operations to neutralise terrorists present in both districts.

    The ADGP also emphasised on the collective measures to tackle security situation and subversive acts by the terrorists and their masters across the border.

    He asked all officers to put in place effective measures for maintaining peace and order in coordination with CAPFs with special emphasis on counterterrorism operations in view of the recent encounters, the spokesperson said.

    He said the officers were directed to keep close surveillance over the activities of Over Ground Workers, mischief-mongers and miscreants.

    The ADGP also emphasised the need to be vigilant on the border to prevent infiltration attempts, the spokesperson said, adding the reactivation of border police posts was another point emphasised upon during the meeting.

    Singh lauded the DIG Rajouri-Poonch range, SSP Rajouri, SSP Poonch and other territorial officers for their efforts in maintaining peace and urged them to continue their good work and make further efforts to strengthen police-public relation, the spokesperson said.

  • Two militants, one civilian killed in encounter in Jammu and Kashmir

    By PTI

    SRINAGAR: Two unidentified militants and a civilian were killed in an encounter between the ultras and security forces in Hyderpora area of the city on Monday, police said.

    The encounter broke out near Classic Hospital here when security forces launched an anti-militancy operation, a police official said.

    He said two militants were killed in the gunbattle, while a civilian also lost his life.

    The deceased civilian has been identified as a 44-year-old businessman, Mohammad Altaf Bhat, a resident of Old Barzulla locality.

    Bhat owned a hardware store and a cement dealership near the scene of the encounter, he said.

    The identity and group affiliation of the slain militants are being ascertained, the official added.

  • BJP trampling on democracy, human rights in Jammu and Kashmir: PDP president Mehbooba Mufti

    By PTI

    JAMMU: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti on Sunday accused the BJP of trampling on democracy and human rights in Jammu and Kashmir.

    The BJP-led government is at “war with its own people,” the former chief minister alleged.

    “The BJP government lectures Afghanistan on inclusive government and human rights, and in Kashmir, people are jailed and booked for treason for demanding constitutional rights. Inclusiveness for the BJP in Kashmir changes to mean only people who toe its lines and propagate its agenda,” Mufti said here.

    The PDP chief is on a five-day visit to Jammu.

    She held a series of meetings with party workers and various delegations over the past two days at the party headquarters besides welcoming several prominent social activists into the party fold on Sunday.

    “The country and the world should take note of how the BJP is implementing majoritarianism in the once largest democracy of the world, how the party is lecturing the world on democracy, human rights, and human values, and how it is trampling on democracy and human values in Jammu and Kashmir,” Mehbooba said.

    A PDP spokesperson said Mehbooba Mufti visited the Peer Baba shrine in Satwari on Saturday evening.

  • As Pakistan pumps drugs, experts warn of losing a generation to narcotics in Kashmir

    By PTI

    SRINAGAR: The narcotics menace, especially heroin, is scaling new heights in Kashmir with experts warning that a majority of the young people may fall prey to drug abuse and Jammu and Kashmir Police chief Dilbag Singh blaming Pakistan for targeting youngsters by making them habitual to drugs.

    Taking a holistic view of the strife-torn Kashmir valley, police as well as social workers and medical doctors are of the opinion that while the violence caused by three decades of terrorism has consumed a generation, the drug menace will negatively effect the present generation.

    Singh pins the blame on Pakistan, saying “they are repeating the same dirty game that they played in Punjab” — first giving arms training and later spoiling the youth with drugs.

    Asked about the observations made by experts that Kashmir has lost a generation to conflict and may lose the next to drug abuse, Singh replied, “Definitely, yes and I have no two opinions about it”.

    Talking to PTI, Singh said the drug menace has shown a considerable increase in the last two years and the narcotics are smuggled from Punjab and Jammu borders.

    “We had some good seizures too. We know that sale proceeds of the drugs are pumped into funding terrorism and, therefore, we have been extra vigilant about it and taking efforts to curb it,” he said.

    The main areas affected by the drug menace are Karnah in North Kashmir, Anantnag in South Kashmir and some areas of Jammu, the police chief said.

    Police have taken a leading role in setting up drug de-addiction centres in Srinagar and Jammu while some more are coming up in North Kashmir, he added.

    “I guess it is time for socio-religious leaders to step in on an urgent basis to wean away youth from the menace. Today, we have time and tomorrow we may not have it. So, it is better to act now and act fast,” the police chief said in his appeal.

    Echoing similar views, Dr Mohammed Muzzafar Khan, who heads the de-addiction centre of police in Srinagar, feels that the number of such centres in the valley is minuscule compared to the magnitude of people affected by narcotics.

    Khan said the situation on the ground is worse as more and more young boys are getting addicted to narcotics.

    “Earlier, we used to see boys aged 18 and above (addicted to drugs) but now there are cases of 12 and 13-year-olds and the nature of drug abuse has changed as well. Earlier, it was charas or medicinal opioids but now heroin is replacing them,” Khan told PTI.

    He said youths get addicted to heroin quickly and within days become dependent on injections to inject drugs intravenously and the menace is spread across Kashmir in its urban and rural areas and among the rich and poor population.

    Khan said the Youth Development and Rehabilitation Centre headed by him is a 50-bed hospital.

    “It is a minuscule facility compared to the number of people affected. I would go on to say that the facility is non-existent…Around 10 years ago, we required de-addiction centres, but today we require a medical emergency facility because sometimes, an addict requires a ventilator immediately due to the overdose of heroine,” he said.

    Pointing out to a survey by the National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre of the AIIMS, New Delhi on the “Magnitude of Substance Use in India” in which Jammu and Kashmir was placed at the fifth spot with over 6 lakh people affected by drug abuse, Khan said, “I would now say that this is again a conservative estimate.

    “People do not confess to use of narcotics because of social stigma. Seeing the number of patients coming in every month, which ranges anywhere between 10 and 15 per day, I think more people are affected by it,” he added.

    Mir Zubair Rashid, co-founder of Concerned About Universal Social Empowerment (CAUSE), an NGO working for providing medical assistance and rehabilitation to drug addicts, said, “We lost one generation in conflict and next we will lose to drug abuse”.

    Rashid and his team have been working round-the-clock to take drug addicts to government hospitals for treatment and following up to ensure there is no relapse and that they remain sober.

    “See, post treatment counselling is very important. We are trying to do our bit, but I guess the entire society has to wake up,” he said.

    Mantasha Binti Rashid, a 2011-batch Kashmir Administrative Services officer, says, “Having actively worked on the issue since my university days, I am aware how stigmatised it is to have a family member or a child indulge in abuse. People hide it, attach shame to it and as a result, the treatment suffers along with the health, confidence, self-respect, and quality of life of the abuser”.

    “To treat narcotics abuse, a robust support structure, accepting family environment and a positive societal set-up is required. And our place does not have much to offer to youth who are already engulfed by this disease. It may be a choice to begin with but as it progresses, it becomes a disease a disease at an individual level and at a collective level too, if left unchecked,” she said.

  • Over 9,000 vacancies filled up through fast-track recruitment in Jammu and Kashmir

    By PTI

    JAMMU: Over 9,000 vacancies in different departments have been filled up under fast track recruitment in Jammu and Kashmir, officials said on Saturday.

    The selection for 5,000 more posts would be finalised by the end of this year, they said.

    The government has initiated the “largest ever” recruitment drive in the union territory in a transparent manner, they said, adding an accelerated committee was constituted for identifying gazetted, non-gazetted and class 4 posts.

    “Under the fast track recruitment, 20,323 posts stand advertised by J&K Service Selection Board (SSB) since July last year and presently the selection process has been completed with respect to 9,205 posts. Around 5,000 more selections will be finalised up to December 31,” an official spokesman said.

    He said the selection process of remaining posts has reached various stages like skill test, CBRT (Computer Based Written Test) and document verification.

    A meeting was chaired by Commissioner Secretary, General Administration Department (GAD), Manoj Kumar Dwivedi here to review the progress of different recruitment being done by J&K Public Service Commission (PSC) and SSB, the spokesman said.

    In order to expedite the selection process on a fast track recruitment basis, he said government instructions were reiterated to refer all vacancies as on December 31, both Gazetted and Non-Gazetted, to the PSC and SSB by January 15, next year.

    The recruiting agencies were also directed to finalise the calendar for conduct of various examinations well in advance so that the selection process could be completed within a period of one year, the spokesman said.

    He said the meeting was informed that the largest ever written test examination has been conducted by SSB wherein 3.5 lakh candidates participated for class 4 posts this year.

    Special consideration by way of additional weightage was given to candidates, including those who worked as casual workers for five or more years and widows, divorced women, judicially separated women, orphan girls and others whose family member has not been in government service.

    Within a record time of seven days, more than 4,600 appointment orders of class 4 posts have been issued, the spokesman said.

    He said 2,119 selections for gazetted posts have been made by JKPSC in various departments and 726 selections are in progress.

    JKPSC has also recommended promotions of 287 officers in the year 2020 and 769 officers during the current year, the spokesman said.