Curfew-like Restrictions In Kupwara

Life remained crippled for the fourth day as curfew-like restrictions were extended to all major towns and tehsil headquarters in this frontier district, where security forces killed seven militants on February 24.

Restrictions continued in Lalpora while elsewhere in the Kupwara restrictions were extended following general strike called by breakaway Hurriyat Conference in the valley against these killings.

Locals alleged that seven militants killed by the Army at Dardpora were in fact locals who had gone to forest area for collecting herbs and hunting.

However, a senior Army officer and Deputy Inspector General of Police, North Kashmir dismissed these allegations and said all the seven were foreign militants belonging to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).

Sources said restrictions continued in Lalpora to maintain peace in the area, where local police station was attacked, damaging the building and about a dozen vehicles set on fire.

People alleged that they were not being allowed to move out of their homes.

A large number of security force and police personnel remained deployed, directing people to remain indoor.

There were incidents of stone pelting on security forces from different parts of the town, including main market Kupwara, where life remained disrupted due to spontaneous strike with shops and business establishments remained closed and traffic off the roads during the past three days.

However, today being Friday, restrictions were imposed to prevent any law and order problem.

Army and police in a joint operation had killed seven militants at Dardpora Lolab.

However, locals at Lalpora alleged that seven people had gone to forest area and did not return. They were demanding that bodies should be handed over to them for identification.

DIG police J P Singh said the bodies were handed over to local Auqaf and buried after taking their photographs.

The breakaway Hurriyat Conference has called for a general strike against the incident.

Islami Tanzeem Azadi Abdul Samad Inquilabi has supported the strike call and condemned security force’s action on demonstrators in Kupwara.


(Free Press Kashmir)

Mirwaiz, Shabir Put Under House Arrest

Chairman of moderate Hurriyat Conference (HC) Mirwaiz Moulvi Omar Farooq and Democratic Freedom Party (DFP) chief Shabir Ahmad Shah were put under house arrest while breakaway HC spokesperson was taken into preventive custody.

However, official sources said restrictions on separatist leaders were imposed to prevent any law and order problem today, when there is a general strike call in the valley.

A spokesperson for the HC said Mirwaiz was put under house arrest since this morning.He said a large number of security force and state police personnel had been deployed outside the Nigeen house of Mirwaiz to prevent him from moving out.

Shabir Shah has also been put under house arrest since last evening. Shah said he was informed that he cannot move out of his residence till further orders.

HC spokesman Ayaz Akbar was taken into preventive custody from a local mosque on Thursday evening, his family members said.


(EKNN)

Strike Cripples Life In Kashmir

General strike, called by breakaway Hurriyat Conference (HC) to protest against alleged suspicious killing of seven militants in the frontier district of Kupwara crippled life in the Kashmir valley.

Seven foreign militants of Lashker-e-Toiba (LeT) were killed in a joint operation by the Army and state police at Dardpora Lolab in Kupwara on February 24.

However, locals alleged that they were civilians, leading to massive protests, police firing and bursting of teargas shells and imposition of restrictions besides strike since February 25 in Kupwara.

Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq sought an impartial probe into Lolab encounter and said that given the past experience of encounters that were later proved ‘stage managed’, a probe through an independent agency must be ordered into the Lolab encounter.


(Free Press Kashmir)

Kashmiris Thong Markets to Shop For Eid-ul-Fitr

Markets across Kashmir Valley including summer capital Srinagar were flooded with people as residents came out in large numbers to shop for Eid-ul-Fitr likely to be celebrated tomorrow.

As the Muslims follow Lunar calendar, the fasting month of Ramadhan will come to an end with the sighting of crescent this evening or tomorrow evening.

The Eid will be celebrated a day after the sighting of the crescent, which is more likely today as Saudi Arabia and some other parts of the world are celebrating the culmination of fasting month today.
Bakeries, confectionaries and toy shops witnessed heavy rush of customers as Muslims started preparing for the two-day Eid festival.

Shopping outlets dealing with clothing including kids-wear, perfumes and footwear also saw brisk sales from early in the morning.

The roadside vendors have also set up stalls in Lal Chowk and adjoining areas selling all kinds of merchandise.

Serpentine queues were witnessed at ATM outlets and banks as people withdrew more than Rs 55 crore for Eid shopping in just two days, sources in the banking industry said.

Like last year, the traffic department has barred the entry of heavy passenger vehicles into the commercial hub of Lal Chowk as it leads to traffic jams.

“No vehicular traffic shall be allowed to ply on Residency road from Radio Kashmir to Hari Singh High street on one side and along MA road from SRTC crossing to Jehangir Chowk on the other side, except emergency and on-duty vehicles,” a traffic police officer said.

He said the restrictions shall remain in force till Eid prayers.


(EKNN)

Bears, Leopards Rampage Through Kashmir, Kill Two, Hurt Many

Black bears and leopards went on a rampage in different villages across Kashmir valley, attacking children and old women working in rice fields and orchards, police said on Tuesday.

Increasing fear of attacks from wild animals is forcing residents to abstain from work in orchards and vegetable fields in many areas, witnesses say.

A black bear attacked and killed 70-year-old Abdul Sattar Bhat in Gulmarg area of north Kashmir.
In another incident a 13-year-old girl, Kushboo, was killed by a leopard at Tangwari area of Kreeri.

Local residents said about a dozen leopards were roaming in Handwara villages posing threat to lives. They said they have been forced to accompany children to schools due to the fear of attacks from wild animals.

Leopard and Himalayan black bear populations have increased after a ban on hunting was enforced in Kashmir in 1970′s. Due to shrinking of their natural habitat, these animals are now wandering into villages and have killed nearly 200 people and maimed thousands since 2005.

Man-animal conflict has shown a drastic increase in the region after authorities erected a fence along Kashmir’s border with Pakistan designed to stop militant incursions.

The nine feet high fence along Line of Control, a military line which divides Kashmir between India and Pakistan, is curbing the movement of wild animals, experts say.

Authorities are now planning to set up control rooms and distribute leaflets urging people living near forests to take precautions to prevent more casualties.

Police say at least six bears and leopards have been killed by villagers and authorities in the last one year after attacking local people.

State’s Wildlife department has paid nearly five million rupees as compensation to the next of kin of the deceased persons and injured persons.


(EKNN)

Hurriyat (M) Protecting Indian Interests in Kashmir, Says Malik

Chairman of the pro-Independence Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), Yasin Malik has accused another senior separatist leader of “safeguarding Indian interests” in Kashmir.

He has also accused Mirwaiz Umer Farooq, chairman of his own faction of the separatist amalgam Hurriyat Conference, of misusing the Azadi movement or Freedom struggle.

“APHC (M) forum claims to represent people and resistance but a bitter truth is that these people have achieved big houses, expensive vehicles and other benefits in this name but are shying away to even speak on it,” said Malik in a press statement on the anniversary of Imam Khomeni, the revolutionary leader of Shiites.

“This forum is simultaneously trying to run movement and safeguard Indian Interests on the same time. These people in the garb of resistance accumulate money and build shopping malls and get those inaugurated by Indian politician and rulers,” Malik charged the forum which also includes leaders like Prof Abdul Gani Bhat, Syed Hassan Budgami and Moulana Abbas Ansari.

The outburst by the pro-freedom leader came after he was allegedly denied an opportunity to speak in a function organised by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq led Hurriyat at Kashmir University.

The statement of JKLF claimed that the party chairman had been invited by Shia group, Anjuman Shar’e-e-Shian to be part of the function at Kashmir varsity.

“Today after I reached Kashmir universality, they asked one of my colleagues to convince me not to talk about (resistance) movement during my speech as university authorities had asked them so,” Malik said. “( For them) it was important as university may deny permission to them next year.”

Yasin Malik said that it was ‘ironical’ that APHC (M) did this during a program to remember Imam Khomeni (RAH), “who taught us to fight against tyranny, oppression and falsehood”.

“Until now we were maintaining silence on these issues in the larger interests of the resistance movement but today we have been compelled to come out in public by these people.”


(Free Press Kashmir)

Air India cabin crew member detained in London for smuggling cigarettes

An Air India cabin crew was detained by the London police for allegedly smuggling 50 cigarette crates.

Though some members of the crew were released later Bhavik Shah, who admitted to his crime, was detained for eight hours.

Later, Air India bailed him out by paying 5,000 pounds. Confirming the incident, a senior Air India official said the cabin crew member has been suspended.

"We suspended crew member Bhavik Shah for the alleged incident on the same day when it was reported," an AI official said.

According to airline sources, the incident took place last Friday after AI's Mumbai-London flight landed at the Heathrow airport.

While the crew members were on way to the hotel, the police carried out a search of their baggage.

During the search, there was no claimant for a bag which contained the 50 cigarette crates, following which the police detained the entire crew.

After a four-hour-long questioning, it was confirmed that the bag containing the cigarettes belonged to Shah, sources said.

Following this, Shah was detained for further questioning, and he admitted to carrying the contraband.

He was released on bail after AI paid up for the bond.


(PTI)

Three senior Kingfisher executives quit

Troubles mounted for beleaguered Kingfisher Airlines with three more senior executives including its chief information officer, quitting even as a section of its pilots threatened to restart their agitation over non-payment of salaries for last 10 months.

“The airlines’ chief information officer Saurav Sinha, flight operations head Capt Ronald Nagar and cabin crew head Ajit Bhagchandani have put in their papers recently,” Kingfisher Airlines sources told PTI.

Their resignations come close on the heels of KFA’s executive vice president Hitesh Patel and ground handling chief Murali Ramachandran reportedly parting ways with liquor baron Vijay Mallya’s grounded airline.

The private carrier, which has not paid its employees since August last year, has been grounded since October. Its air operations permit or the flying licence lapsed on December 31 last year, although it can be renewed within two years.

Last month, Kingfisher Airlines had submitted a fresh revival plan to DGCA, seeking permission to resume operations.

But it has not yet been accepted by the regulator.

“Besides these executives, a few pilots and engineers have also quit the carrier in the last one month as they did not see any hope of its revival,” the sources said.

Meanwhile, Kingfisher Airlines’ Mumbai-based pilots are planning to revive their agitation over non-payment of salary and are likely to hold a meeting here tomorrow to chalk out their action plan, sources said.

“Our July 2012 salary was paid in March and since then we have not received any payment. The management is keeping quiet on when it will pay our dues. We have called an internal meeting on Monday to chart out our course of action,” an airline pilot said.

Saddled with an over Rs 7,000 crore bank debt, besides dues to various stakeholders, the airline reported net loss at Rs 2,141.80 crore for the March quarter of the previous fiscal.For the entire FY13, the net loss stood at Rs 4,001.12 crore.

State Bank of India (SBI) said last month that the consortium of lenders has recovered Rs 800-1,000 crore and is making all efforts to recover the remaining dues from the airlines.

The consortium of 17 banks, led by SBI, has an outstanding of over Rs 7,000 crore from the carrier.


(PTI)

Panic in North Kashmir After Body Found Hanging From Tree

A youth’s body was found hanging from a tree in the frontier district of Kupwara, spreading fear across the whole area official sources said here today.

They said panic gripped village Malikpora Haril, Handwara, in north Kashmir district of Kupwara when a youth was found hanging from a tree.

The body was taken away by police and the deceased was identified as Farooq Ahmad Shabingi.

It was not immediately clear whether it was a suicide or murder, they said, adding police has registered a case and initiated proceedings.

Later on a 15-year-old girl tried to commit suicide by setting herself ablaze at her home in the jurisdiction of police station Pahalgam.

She was shifted to SMHS Hospital Srinagar with burn injuries. Police has registered a case in this regard.
Elsewhere four people were killed in separate accidents across Kashmir valley since Saturday evening, police said.


(Free Press Kashmir)

Srinivasan steps aside as Dalmiya takes over as interim BCCI chief

Jagmohan Dalmiya has taken over as interim BCCI chief after N Srinivasan agreed to step aside, till the investigation into the IPL spot-fixing scandal is over, in the emergent board working committee meeting in Chennai on Sunday.

Dalmiya's name was proposed by BCCI vice-president Arun Jaitley and joint secretary Anurag Thakur. The proposal will now be ratified by the BCCI board.

Former BCCI secretary Sanjay Jagdale and treasurer Ajay Shirke have been asked to withdraw their resignation.

If the probe clears Srinivasan, he will return to the BCCI, according to the reported compromise formula reached after hectic bargaining from both the sides.

BCCI treasurer Ajay Shirke and secretary Sanjay Jagdale, who had resigned on Friday in the wake of IPL spot-fixing scandal, refused to accept the compromise formula.

According to reports, Srinivasan, who reached the meeting venue almost three hours early, held a meeting with Jagmohan Dalmiya to work out a compromise formula.

In the face of a series of protest resignations by top board officials, including IPL commissioner Rajeev Shukla, a defiant Srinivasan has been forced to call an emergency board meeting in Chennai on Sunday.

Earlier in the day, in an unexpected twist to the IPL spot-fixing scandal, BCCI president N Srinivasan said he did not dictate any conditions for his exit as the board chief, the Times Now reported.

Srinivasan, who was on Saturday reported to have set four conditions to step down, claimed it was all conspired by media.

It has been widely reported that Srinivasan has laid down four key conditions for stepping aside, pending the BCCI inquiry into the betting-fixing scandal.

These are: a) he should continue to represent India at the International Cricket Council (ICC); b) the two officials who resigned on Friday - board secretary Sanjay Jagdale and treasurer Ajay Shirke - should not return to the board; c) he would choose the secretary and treasurer before he leaves; and d) the interim president should be someone who is already in the board.


(Times Of India)