‘Police will catch attackers soon’

Abid Bashir

Srinagar, Aug 14: Director General of Police (DGP) Dilbag Singh on Friday said that preliminary investigations have revealed that Jaish-e-Muhammad outfit carried out the Nowgam attack in which two policemen were killed and police are identifying the attackers. Singh was quick to add that police would act against the attackers soon.

Talking to reporters on the sidelines of wreath laying ceremony slain policemen who were identified as Fayaz Ahmed and Ishfaq Ayoub, DGP Singh said that initial investigations have revealed that Jaish-e-Muhammad outfit is behind the attack. “Police and other agencies are busy identifying the attackers and we will act against them soon,” the J&K police chief said.

The DGP said that police was busy with the extended deployment in Srinagar and city outskirts in view of the Independence Day. “Unfortunately, militants found a chance to attack a joint party of SSB and police at Nowgam in which two policemen were killed and another one injured, who is being treated at the hospital,” he said.

DGP Singh said that militants always try to target police and forces and at times they succeed. “Such attacks are carried when situation shows improvement in Kashmir. Our neighbour (Pakistan) can’t tolerate peace prevailing in the Valley and keeps trying to carry out acts like the one today, to disrupt peaceful atmosphere,” he said, adding that “our efforts to strengthen the peace will continue.”

The J&K Police Chief said that anti-militancy operations will be intensified in the days ahead. While paying tributes to the slain cops, he said the slain duo were deployed to ensure smooth conduct of tomorrow’s function. “At times, we have to bear such incidents,” Singh said.

The DGP said security across Kashmir and Srinagar will be further strengthened. On whether police were using latest gadgets to ensure better security cover, he said: “We will use drones and CCTV fitted vehicles besides physical deployment of our men,” he said.

Speaking on the occasion, LG’s Advisor, BR Bhatnagar paid tributes to slain cops and stated that entire UT government shares the pain and stands with the families of the two cops who were killed at Nowgam. (KNO)

Srinagar, Aug 14: Sharp shooters from different security agencies were deployed in and around the venues for the 74th Independence Day (ID) being celebrated on Saturday in Kashmir valley, including summer capital, Srinagar, where militants struck on Friday morning, killing two police personnel and injured another.

We have made unprecedented security arrangements for the ID celebrations in Srinagar and other district and tehsil headquarters where national flag will be unfurled and march past held tomorrow, an official said.

The main ID function will be held at S K Cricket Stadium in high security zone Sonawar, where Lt Governor Manoj Sinha will on Saturday hoist the tri-colour and take salute at the march past. The full dress rehearsal was held on Thursday under tight security arrangements.

Meanwhile, a UNI correspondent, who visited the S K stadium today, saw large number of security force and police personnel deployed in and around the venue for main function. Sharp shooters from different security agencies have been deployed, keeping a close vigil on all pedestrian and vehicles with the help of binoculars besides holding automatic weapons. Sniffer dogs were also pressed into service to make sure the area adjacent to stadium is safe.

All roads around the stadium have been closed by security forces. Road blocks, barbed wire and barricades were placed on the roads to prevent any militant attempt to disrupt the ID function. Road leading to the stadium at Radio Kashmir crossing has been closed with barbed wire and other barricades and people were being directed to take alternative Dalgate route. Similarly road was also closed at Rammunshi Bagh and no vehicle was being allowed towards stadium.

A large number of security forces also remained deployed on Dalgate and Sonawar roads though private vehicles were plying.  Army personnel were seen patrolling Cantonment road from Sonawar to Pantha Chowk, including headquarters of 15 Corps.

The ID and Republic Day (RD) functions were held in Bakshi stadium in the uptown. However, due to renovation of the stadium, these functions are now held at S K Stadium. In 90s, militants used to fire rockets and grenades towards Bakshi stadium during these functions.

Senior CRPF personnel were seen patrolling in the civil lines, including Lal Chowk, the nerve centre of the city, Gantaghar and Amira Kadal. The officers directed the field commander in these areas to remain on high alert to foil any militant attack. The directive came hours after JeM militant attack in Nowgam bypass area of Srinagar left two police personnel dead and another injured.

Security around vital installations has also been further tightened in Srinagar.

Reports of unprecedented security arrangements were also received from other major district and tehsil headquarters, where ID functions will be held.

Ishtiyaq Ahmad
Srinagar, Aug 14: A week after the appointment of Manoj Sinha as the Lieutenant Governor (L-G) of Jammu and Kashmir and reports that Advisory Council may be formed in the Union territory to start the political process, BJP Friday said that they are not against any decision which connects people and the government.
“BJP is not against any decision which connects people and the government. I cannot say that the advisory council will be formed. Discussions do happen, but yes our part wants that there must be some initiative to connect with the people,” former Deputy Chief Minister and senior BJP leader Dr Nirmal Singh said.
Singh said public reach out is important to start the political process in Jammu and Kashmir. “We believe that the political activity must carry forward in Jammu and Kashmir. We are hopeful that LG Manoj Sinha will soon take a decision to create such a link where common people can be reached,” he said.
He said it is not possible to restore the political process if we could not reach the public.
“People’s trust in the government should be restored, people’s trust is necessary. For that, LG Sinha should create such a link where people can list their problems and the government addresses them,” the BJP leader said.
At present, there are four advisors to the L-G — Kewal Kumar Sharma, Farooq Khan, Rajeev Bhatnagar and Baseer Ahmed Khan. All of them were appointed during G C Murmu’s tenure.
BJP sources said that one of the grievances against Murmu was that he was more or less bureaucratic in his functioning and he rarely met people to know about their issues.
Singh said the first step to restore normalcy in J&K is initiating dialogue with political parties, which can facilitate desired results.
He said the delimitation process should be sped up and before thinking of holding elections in the UT, everyone should be approached to listen to their concerns, he added. (KINS)

Nasir Azam

Srinagar, Aug 14:  A key policy rolled out by the previous PDP- BJP government for regular engagement of casual, seasonal and other workers has been pushed into cold storage as not a single daily-wager has benefited from the scheme in the past one-and-a-half year.

Details available stated that empowered committee- which is empowered to recommend regularization of casual, seasonal and other workers-has not held any meeting in the past 17 months.

The panel last time met on January 2, 2019 and since then no such meeting has been convened even as thousands of daily-wagers are running from pillar to post for their regularisation.

According to documents, only 578 cases were cleared by the empowered committee under the policy during its meetings held till January, 2, 2019.

In its Ist, 2nd , 3rd , 4th, 5th and 6th meetings, the committee headed by Finance secretary and comprising senior bureaucrats  respectively  cleared only 22 117,33,138,174 and 94 cases. The government’s apathetic attitude in implementation of the policy has come under criticism from different quarters.

“On one hand, the government talks about good governance and welfare of employees, but on the other, it has failed to regularize casual, seasonal and daily-wagers working in different departments. We appeal Lieutenant Governor LG Manoj Sinha to revive the policy put in cold storage by bureaucrats,” a group of daily-wagers said.

In December 2017, the government unveiled a policy for regular engagement of casual/seasonal and other workers.

The policy provides for monthly consolidated remuneration ranging from Rs 10,000 to Rs 24,000 to the appointees if their period of engagement is above 10 years and if they possess minimum qualification of 8th standard or above.

It is worthwhile to mention that government had disclosed in the Legislative Assembly that number of casual, seasonal and other workers was 1,00,501. (KNO)

Riyaz Bhat

Srinagar, Aug 14: The government Friday said it has reduced the syllabi for annual exams of secondary and higher secondary classes of Jammu and Kashmir to 70 percent only following the closure of schools in view of COVID-19 pandemic.

Commissioner Secretary to government for School Education Department, Asgar Samoon said that the syllabi for annual exams of 10th and 12th standard students is reduced to 70 percent.

“Syllabus for 10+2 classes exams reduced to 70 percent  for JKUT. This also applies for 10th class syllabus for exams,” Samoon posted on Twitter.

All educational institutions in Valley are closed since mid-March after outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic.

The chairperson of Jammu and Kashmir Board of School Education (BOSE) Veena Pandita said they have not got any formal intimation with regard to the matter.

“As of now, BOSE have not got any formal order or intimation in this regard,” Pandita said. She said that deciding the relaxation in syllabi was the mandate of BOSE authorities and as of now they haven’t decided anything yet.

“I believe in something which is written formally. We have given the proposal to the administration and it is all up to BOSE to decide about the relaxation of syllabi,” Pandita said.  (KNO)

Srinagar, Aug 14: The worship places, including shrines, Jamia Masjids, Gurdwaras, temples and Churches remained closed since March this year due to COVID-19 pandemic in the Kashmir valley, including Srinagar, where authorities have announced to ease lockdown restriction from Saturday evening and allow people to offer congregational prayers from August 16.
Administration, doctors and experts have reiterated the need to strictly follow guidelines, including wearing masks, maintaining social distancing and avoiding social and religious gathering to curtail the spread of COVID-19 cases in the valley.
Majority of the people in the valley, adhering to the guidelines, offered mid-day (instead of Friday) prayers at their respective residences.
All gates to historic Jamia masjid remained closed for devotees since March this year, when government ordered closure of all religious places in view of COVID-19 pandemic. The Jamia market also remained closed today and forces remained deployed in the area to prevent people from entering the worship places.
Gates of other major mosques and shrines, including Asaar-e-Sharief Hazratbal, which houses the holy relic of Prophet Muhammad (SAW), also remained closed. Prayers in major mosques and shrines remained suspended for the 22nd consecutive week on Friday due to restrictions on religious gatherings to prevent spread of COVID-19 in the valley.
However, people offered Friday prayers in small and interior mosques in the valley though authorities are yet to lift ban on congregational prayers.
No congregational Shab-e-Qadar prayers were offered in any mosque in the valley. No prayers were offered on Jamat-ul-Vida, the last Friday of the holy fasting month Ramzan, in the valley, where Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Adha prayers were offered by people in their respective houses.
On August 4 the Principal Secretary power and Information Rohit Kansal said the Union Territory (UT) government has decided to reopen religious places and worship places from August 16.
In a tweet he said, “Major decision by J&K Government. All religious places and places of worship to open in Jammu & Kashmir from August 16, 2020. Religious processions and large religious gatherings remain strictly prohibited.”
The temples, including Shankarachiariya on the hill of Takhat-e-Suliman and Hanuman Mandir also remained closed. Due to COVID-19 no function was organized on Janamashtami recently. Similarly Gurdwaras and Churches also remained closed for devotees in the valley.