By: Bhat Imran

Srinagar: Authorities have projected that at least eleven more academic colleges in Srinagar Metropolitan Region (SMR) will be required by year 2035 to cater the student population in the city.

The official documents available with the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) reads, “About eleven additional academic colleges have to be provided by 2035 in Srinagar Metropolitan Region with one college for one lakh population respectively.”

The authorities have further said that the backlog of three Technical Education Centres of category (B) shall include an Industrial Training Institute (ITI), Technical Centre and a Coaching Centre that are recommended for the planning period.

“Besides, three Engineering Colleges, and four Professional Colleges are also proposed to be established during next 20-25 years within the local area,” reads the SMR master plan 2035.

It also states that it was proposed that the locations for such higher order facilities shall be finalized as per the land use policy and Development Code of this Master Plan.

SMR master plan further reads, “Known for its serene environment and picturesque setting in the lap of Himalayas, Kashmir Valley in general and Srinagar in particular provides huge potentials for developing the city into a Knowledge Hub which shall include the development of a Cyber city and a Tech-city.”

The Srinagar Development in a final draft has said that the master plan envisages that the Government should facilitate joint ventures PPP format engaging the local entrepreneurs and the investors from country and abroad—(KNO)

Programmes aimed to further sharpen investigation skills of JKP, IOs: DGP J&K

Srinagar: The second phase of joint capacity building programme of Jammu and Kashmir Police with National Investigation agency (NIA) started at Police headquarters here on Monday.

Director General of Police (DGP) Dilbag Singh was the chief guest at the inaugural session.

In a statement a police spokesman said the first session of the programme was attended by ADGsP, M.K Sinha, Danesh Rana, IGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar, DIG Central Kashmir Amit Kumar, SSP Budgam, AIsG PHQ, NIA officers and IOs from Kashmir Zone and CID.

Welcoming the officers from NIA and investigating officers of J&K Police in the programme, the DGP expressed his pleasure to be the part of the very useful programme.

He once again extended his gratitude to the DG NIA Kuldiep Singh for facilitating the series of capacity building programmes by assigning faculty members from NIA. He thanked the officers from NIA who would be imparting the capacity building training to J&K Police IOs.

The DGP said that “we already had one training programme in PHQ and this is second in the series and added that three or four such training programmes would be organized in Jammu also.”

He said that the aim of these training programmes is to further sharpen the investigation skills of JKP investigating officers. Singh said that it is a very useful course and feedback of the last course has been very healthy and encouraging as the officers have been very happy with the kind of investigation techniques they were introduced and discussed by officers from NIA.

While going through the course plan, the DGP said that the training course covers most of the areas which are very important for the investigation and added that the background of this course is that we have a huge number of UAPA cases in J&K and aim is to take them all to the logical conclusion.

He said that our officers have investigated some of the UAPA cases effectively but the magnitude is such that our majority of the officers should be familiar with the investigation techniques of UAPA and other special crime cases. He directed the AIG (Training/Policy) PHQ to briefly document each and every lecture of the training programme and subsequently circulate them to the participants.

The ADGP (Headquarters) PHQ M.K Sinha in his keynote lecture of the inaugural session shared his experience of working and investigating various important cases during his seven and a half year deputation to CBI through a PowerPoint presentation. He explained how speedy and result oriented investigation is conducted in a holistic manner.

He said that conducting such programmes would definitely help in improving the quality of investigation and help in securing convictions. He stressed for meticulous documentation and teamwork for result oriented investigation.

In his exhaustive and comprehensive presentation, Shri Sinha discussed different provisions of the UAPA in detail. He also gave an overview of the laws dealing with terror and crime in the past and merits of the UAPA viz a viz the laws on the subject in the near past.

The ADGP discussed the good practices of investigation in detail being practiced by the central investigation agencies. He highlighted the need for collecting evidence including digital evidence as per statutory provisions for getting convictions from the courts of law. He also highlighted different mechanisms for effective investigation and also supervision being followed in central agencies and the need to adopt such mechanisms in JKP.

AIG (Training/ Policy) PHQ, J.S Joher in his address said that the objective of organizing such trainings is to augment the investigation skills of our IOs for conducting robust investigations. He said that the training programme would be a healthy mix of lectures, feedback, revisions and discussions.

In the afternoon session, SP NIA Vishal Garg while giving a brief introduction of the vision and mission of NIA highlighted its impact on terror activities in J&K and other parts of the country. He also highlighted the main objectives of the capacity building training programme.

The faculty members of NIA who delivered the lectures on the first day of the training programme are Vishal Garg, SP NIA Hqrs New Delhi, Arjun Amblapatta, Senior PP NIA Hqrs News Delhi and Dr. V. S Baswani, Scientific Expert, NIA Hqrs New Delhi.

110 J&K Police investigators including 03 SsP, 19 DySsP, 10 Senior Prosecuting officers, 26 Inspectors and 52 PSIs of J&K Police are participating in the five day training programme. The programme is being organized while following the COVID-19 appropriate behaviour and protocol.

By: Tasaduq Hussain

Kupwara: Failing to hold tears while recalling the memories of their minor son, a family of a 5-year-old boy from North Kashmir’s Kupwara district Monday said that they have lost the support system of their visually impaired father due to the negligence of Sarpanch at Kunan village.

Ayan Altaf Bhat son of Altaf Ahmad Bhat resident of Kunan died on Saturday after he fell into a trench just a few meters away from his home which was uncovered and left incomplete for a long time now.

With the untimely death of the minor a pall of gloom descended over the entire locality with locals demanding action against those involved.

Talking to news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) locals while expressing their serious resentment against the concerned Sarpanch said that he has rejected repeated pleas from the locals to cover the trench that was left incomplete for long now.

“Last year also it almost took the life of a minor but Sarpanch remained unmoved, not bothered about the safety of children,” locals said.

Locals said that the family of the deceased has no source of income other than the visually impaired father who along with his family members lives in a Kacha house.

“The trench has been uncovered since 2019 and even after the death of Ayan, Sarpanch didn’t visit the family to pay condolence despite being the village head,” locals said.

The father of the deceased said that he was the lone support system for him ever since his birth.

“I approached the concerned Sarpanch requesting him to cover the trench fearing that any of my children would drown in it while en route to school but all the pleas fell on deaf ears,” he said.

Bhat said that Ayan would accompany him to Masjid (Mosque) five times a day to offer prayers and on occasions he would guide him to cross the bumpy roads.

“I have lost my support system. I have no other support. I am 90 percent blind. He was like my eyes,” Bhat said.

Meanwhile, a police official told KNO that a case has been registered at the local station and further investigation has been initiated in this regard.

He informed that a case FIR number 92 under section 304A (Causing death by negligence) stands registered.

The official said that details related to the trench will be sought from the departments concerned for further course of action while no arrest has been made in this regard.

The villagers demand stern action against the concerned sarpanch and all others involved which led to the death of the minor boy.

Srinagar: Five persons including three jungle smugglers were shifted to Kot Bhalwal Jail Jammu under Public Safety Act.

Police sources told news agency Kashmir News Trust that police had arrested three jungle smugglers from South Kashmir’s Shopian district. On the recommendations of Forest Department, PSA was slapped upon them.

All these three jungle smugglers were shifted to Kot Bhalwal Jail Jammu.

Police sources identified the trio as Ghulam Muhammad Bhat of Tharian village, Riyaz Poswal of Shalidar Zarkin village and Altaf Poswal of Dunaroo Keller.

Besides, two persons on charges of anti-national activities were also shifted to Kot Bhalwal Jail under Public Safety Act.

The duo have been identified as  Shahrum Bhatia alias Gujar son of Gulabuddin of Kodiawalam Rajouri and Mudasir Ahmed Koka son of Abdul Rashid Koka, a resident of Melhora Shopian. (KNT)