Braid Chopping:Five wounded in Army firing
Soldiers thrashed in North Kashmir
Srinagar, Oct 18 : With authorities still clueless and ‘desperate’ to unfold braid chopping mystery, Kashmir continues to remain on edge while on Wednesday dozens of persons suffered injuries during clashes that sparked after fresh braid cutting incidents in various localities across Valley.
Clashes erupted in Mehjoor Nagar area of Kashmir capital Srinagar after the braid of a woman was chopped off by unidentified miscreants. The incident created panic in the area while large number of youth hit to roads and clashed with government forces. The shopkeepers lowered their shutter as Forces fired a warning shot in air after agitated youth resorted to massive stone-pelting. Police lobbed tear-smoke shells, however, protesting youth continued to hurl rocks on Forces for hours together.
Protest erupted in Chattabal area of Srinagar city against an overnight braid chopping incident there. Large number of women hit to roads and raised anti-government and anti-police slogans. Divulging information about the incident locals said: “a miscreant barged into the secluded house of Bilal Ahmed Gojri, a conductor by profession who lives with a non-local better-half. The miscreant attacked the woman while Gojri during confrontation lost the balance and fell down on the ground from the window. Gojri suffered injuries and is unable to move,” they said.
The protesters mostly women amid slogans castigated government for failing to protect the honour and dignity of women folk.
Eyewitnesses told CNS that panic gripped in Dandarkha area of Batamallo when the braid of a woman was chopped off. Reports said that people found the victim unconscious with her braid cut and she was immediately rushed to SMHS Hospital for treatment.
Police lobbed tear-smoke shells to disperse scores of protesters at Lasjan Bypass after a fresh braid chopping incident in the area.
Locals said that miscreants chopped off the braid of a woman at Golapora Lasjan. The incident sparked protest while agitated youth hit to Lasjan highway and tried to block the traffic. Government Forces swung into action and fired tear-gas shells.
Reports from North Kashmir’s Baramulla district said that a group of people mistook three army soldiers in plain clothes as braid choppers and thrashed them mercilessly. Reports added that blood oozed out from the nose of one of the victim.
A police official said that three army men posted at Kitchama, were on way to Baramulla when a group of “miscreants” stopped them near Sheeri and after checking their identity cards thrashed them. “They were thrashed before police rescued them. An FIR has been registered and investigation taken up,” he added.
At least five persons suffered bullet injuries after Army allegedly resorted to firing to disperse protesters who were chasing an alleged braid chopper in Wullerhama village of Salar area in Anantnag district on Wednesday.
Eyewitnesses told news agency CNS that unidentified miscreants tried to chop off the braid of wife of Muhammad Zulifkar Sofi during wee hours while agitated people caught hold of a suspect and thrashed him mercilessly. They said shortly after the arrival of army, the suspect tried to flee in an army vehicle, while agitated people stoned him and the army vehicle.
“The army fired upon the protesters that left at least five protesters wounded who were immediately rushed to District Hospital Anantnag,” said locals.
Some of the wounded were identified as Jana Begum, Muhammad Irshad and Abdul Rashid.
Reports said that after this incident the situation in Wullerhama and Sallar villages remained tense while youth at the both villages fought pitched battles with government forces during the day.
Reports from Kulgam district said that the braid of a 13 year old student, daughter of Nisar Ahmed Ganai was chopped off by unidentified miscreants. Eyewitnesses said that people ran after the suspect but he managed to escape from the spot. “We were mulling to register a massive protest against this overnight incident on Wednesday morning, but our village was cordoned off by Army who conducted a search operation here,” said a local from Zangalpora Kulgam village.
Pertinently, over a 100 incidents of braid chopping have occurred in different parts of Kashmir Valley during the past month while police is still clueless.
The victims have told their families and police that unknown persons cut their hair after knocking them unconscious with some spray.
The police have formed Special Investigation Teams to probe the incidents. However, so far the police and the authorities have been clueless.
The police have announced a reward of Rs six lakh for credible information leading to arrest of any person behind braid chopping incidents. So far, no arrests have been made.
At several places, vigilante mobs have thrashed innocents mistaking them for braid choppers.
Eight civilians injured in cross border firing
Poonch, Oct 18 : At least 8 civilians were wounded and some of the private vehicles damaged in cross border firing in Rajouri and Poonch villages along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday morning.
Police sources told news agency CNS that due to border firing in Manjakote Sector in Rajouri, three civilian identified as Liaquat Hussain of Khorinar his daughter Insha and elderly man Muhammad Zaffar of Mangalnar near Baryani Gali received injuries and were shifted to Army dispensary.
Police sources added that in Balakote Sector of Poonch district two persons, Tariq Mehmood and Ayaz Ahmed both residents of Dhrati received injuries and shifted to PHC Dharkloon. Moreover 3 private vehicles were also damaged.
In the same sector, three more labourers got injured due to border firing. They were identified as Vasu Ram of Udhampur, Urmila Devi and Kusum Kumari, both residents of Madya Pradesh. A Defense official said that Pakistan resorted to unprovoked firing while Indian Army too retaliated effectively.
Detention of student:
Clashes erupted at IUST
Pulwama, Oct 18 : The continuous detention of a student sparked clashes at University of Science and Technology (IUS) Awantipora here in South Kashmir’s Pulwama district.
Junaid Akhoon, who was pursuing diploma in Polytechnic College of the IUST, has been arrested by police as he happens to be brother of a top Hizb militant. A Police official told news agency CNS that he has been called for questioning after a couple of bank robbery incidents.
Reports said that a large number of students from different departments took out a protest rally within the university campus to protest against the detention of Junaid Akhoon.
Students said that the government forces entered the university campus fired dozens of tear smoke shells to disperse the peaceful protestors, including girls.
The students later resorted to stone-throwing and fought pitched battle with the forces within the campus. The class work was disrupted due to clashes.
Reports said that police used tear-smoke shells to disperse the protesting students.
Families of militants accuse army of ransacking houses
Army terms allegations baseless
Shopian, Oct 18 : Locals from a Shopian village Wednesday staged a protest against alleged Army raids in the houses of militants and subsequent their ransacking and thrashing of inmates.
The protesters who assembled at Safanagri village of South Kashmir’s Shopian district alleged that Army raided the houses of militants not only in their village but also in Baba Khidhar, Turkawangam and Malikgund villages.
“The army men without any provocation barged into the houses of militants and thrashed the family members. They let loose a reign of terror and without any reason damaged the houses and beat relatives of militants to pulp,” said protesters to news agency CNS.
Army according to protesters barged into the houses on Tuesday night. “They forcibly dragged us from houses and ransacked them. After causing massive damage to houses, they thrashed us mercilessly,” said protesting family members.
Pertinently, a couple of militants from these villages are active and affiliated with Hizbul Mujhadeen and Lashkar-e-Toiba.
Srinagar based Defense Spokesperson, Colonel Rajesh Kalia while terming the allegations baseless said that Army men neither manhandled anyone nor caused damage to the property.
‘Jaish not involved in Tral grenade blast’
‘Gulzar not affiliated with us’
Srinagar, Oct 18 : Militant outfit Jaish-e-Muhammad Wednesday disowned Gulzar Ahmed Dar arrested by police for his alleged involvement in grenade attack on the cavalcade of Roads and Buildings Minister Nayeem Akhtar at Tral town of South Kashmir’s Pulwama district on September 21 last month.
Muhammad Hasan Shah, the Operational Spokesperson of Jaish-e-Muhammad told news agency CNS over phone that Jaish has nothing to do with Tral grenade blast as its militant don’t attack civilians but are in Kashmir to protect them.
“We are not involved in Tral Grenade blast. Police implicated a poor fellow Gulzar Ahmed Dar and tried to connect him with our organization. Dar is not associated with Jaish-e-Muhammad,” Shah said.
He claimed that Tral attack was the handiwork of security agencies. “The shopkeeper who was witness to this attack was target by Central Reserve Police Force,” he said.
JeM Spokesperson while condemning the braid chopping incidents in Kashmir said: “this is the handiwork of Indian agencies. It is a conspiracy to harass common people. We condemn it and assure people of Kashmir that culprits will be exposed and brought to justice,” he said.
Government victimizing people to hide failures, says Congress
Srinagar, Oct 18 : Expressing serious concern over the indifferent attitude of the ruling dispensation towards the people, Congress today lashed out at both PDP and BJP for victimizing people, saying that even the people demanding water are being responded with lathis and described the ruling dispensation as complete failure.
In a statement to CNS, the Party Spokesperson expressed serious concern over the indiscriminate firing on people agitating against braid chopping at Pahalgam today, in which five civilians were left injured seriously besides the lathi charge on the people of Bakerwal check in Dooru area who were agitating against the scarcity of water.
Condemning the firing on civilians, the Spokesperson blamed the Government for losing control; as a result the situation is completely out of gear now.
The spokesperson also condemned the ransacking of houses in Shopian today and sought clarity from the Government, as to why Government is not able to ensure safety of people especially the modesty of the women, whose braids are being chopped every day and the Government’s inaction has added chaos to the situation.
The spokesperson said that this Government is anti people with no seriousness about the safety of the people especially the modesty of the women, which is in great danger.
Teacher found dead with his throat slit in Shopian in south Kashmir
Shopian, Oct 18 : A teacher was found dead with slit throat in Wathoo village of Shopian in south Kashmir on Wednesday, police said.
An official said that Aijaz Ahmad Lone, a teacher by profession, was found dead under mysterious conditions near Lar Maadan Stadium in Wathoo area today morning.
Lone, he said, was a resident of Gatipora village of the district.
A police official said that they have registered a case and investigation has been taken up.
Locals protest after R&B department leaves black topping work half-way
Srinagar, Oct 18 : Locals from Beerwah area of Central Kashmir’s Budgam district Wednesday staged a protest against R&B department alleging that macadamization work from Zabigulla village to Najan village was left midway while despite repeated pleas the department is not ready to macadamize the sanctioned portion of the road.
“The department had sanctioned macadamization work for 3.5 km stretch from Zabigulla village to Najan village but it only macadamized 1.5 km stretch upto Pethkoot village. The officials of the department violated its own rules while they are not ready to listen from the local residents,” the protesters who assembled here at Press Enclave Srinagar told reporters.
“The left over part is in dilapidated condition and we request Minister for R&B and Chief Engineer to look into matter and macadamize the remaining portion,” they said.
When contacted, Chief Engineer R&B, Sheikh Abdul Hamid told CNS that work will be done in phase wise and next year the remaining portion will be macadamized too,” he said.
Geelani greets Pakistan for becoming UNHRC member
Srinagar, Oct 18 : Syed Ali Geelani, extended his greetings to Pakistan for being elected as member to UNHRC and said that despite strong opposition from America and India, rest of the 151 countries expressed their faith and their confidence in Pakistan.
It is encouraging, however Pakistan has to share great responsibilities to restore human values, highlight and focus its attention on human rights violations, wherever they occur in the world, added Geelani.
Taking inspiration from this, Pakistan and other human rights activists and member countries should take practical measures to save all victimised humans and communities.
Without taking into consideration the, position, power and might of oppressor, we should come with facts and wherever human societies are oppressed, we should lend our support, irrespective of their colour, race, caste and nationality, added Geelani.
Pro-freedom leader said that we hope that keeping in view the due responsibilities, Pakistan will consider and do its best to raise voice for voiceless and for the communities deprived of basic human rights and added that we are sure that Pakistan will play an important role in highlighting the human rights violations subsequent out of ongoing appalling situations in Jammu and Kashmir.
Hurriyat Executive Council Meeting on Saturday
Srinagar, Oct 18 : Hurriyat Conference has called a meeting of its executive council on October 21, Saturday at 10 am at its head office, Hyderpora, here to discuss some important issues including prevailing situation.
The meeting is scheduled to be chaired by amalgam chairman Syed Ali Geelani. Hurriyat spokesperson said all the executive members have been asked to attend the meeting positively.
Army organizes Kokarnag Mela
Anantnag, Oct 18 : The Army organised a village festival 'Kokernag Mela' (Jashn-e-Breng) for the people of Kokernag and neighbouring areas. The event marked the culmination of a number of sports and extra-curricular activities conducted by the Army in Anantnag District. These events included Inter Village Volleyball Competition and Painting, Singing and Debate competitions in various schools.
The event was inaugurated by Maj Gen BS Raju, Victor Force Commander and other important dignitaries present on the occasion were Shri Abdul Rahim Rather, MLA Kokernag, DC Anantnag, SSP Anantnag and other government officials. The event highlighted the rich culture and traditions of Kashmir and exposed the people to various government department's schemes and facilities. To attract the crowd, the festival had food corner, carnival games, lucky draw and Kashmiri as well as Sufi music performances by a Kashmiri Band. Various NGO's like Holding Hands and Kashmir Research Institute of Education and Solar Technology (KRIEST) also participated in the Mela to spread awareness of their work.
The Kokernag Mela also included Mega Multi Specialty Medical Camp which had various specialists and general physicians who provided free medical checkup to more than 750 people. A Veterinary Camp was also organised for the benefit of the Gujjar and Bakarwal community.
FROM : CNS