Internet snapped as a precautionary measure

Jahangeer Ganaie

Pulwama, July 7: A militant was killed while as three soldiers, one of them critical and a cop were injured in an encounter that broke out between militants and security in Goosu area of South Kashmir’s Pulwama district on Tuesday morning

An official told KNO that a joint team of Police, army’s 53 RR  and CRPF launched a cordon and search operation on specific information about the presence of militants in Goosu area of Pulwama in wee hours of Tuesday.

He said that as the joint team of forces approached towards the suspected spot, the hiding militants fired upon them which was retaliated triggering an encounter.

He said that during a brief exchange of fire a militant was killed while three soldiers and a cop from J&K Police received injuries.

He said injured soldiers were evacuated to 92 base hospital Srinagar where condition of one of them identified as NK Rajendra who received bullet injury in abdomen and back side is said to be critical while two others—Sepoy Amandeep Singh and Sepoy Kishore are stable and responding to the treatment.

After initial exchange of fire, cordon was tightened in the area and door to door search operation was started in the area. However, the cordon was lifted at 5:30 pm as no fresh contact was established with the militants.

Meanwhile as a precautionary measure, internet services have been snapped in Pulwama Police district.

KNO
Srinagar, July 7: General officer Commanding of Srinagar-based 15 Corps Lieutenant General BS Raju Tuesday said that the armed forces don’t want to kill militants and that an opportunity to surrender is given to every militant.

According to news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), in a short video uploaded on the official handle of Chinar Corps (15 Corps), Lt General Raju said that any loss of life is sad. “Six-year-old boy who was killed in Bijbehara (Anantnag) and the recent incident a Sopore where a 65-year-old man was killed, were unfortunate. The picture (showing grandchild of the slain man on the chest of his dead grandfather) elicited emotions,” the army officer said.

He said that the army has had a string of successful anti-militancy operations in Kashmir. “The only way for a militant to get back is to strike and to engage us in populated areas.  That’s what happened in Bijbehara and Sopore as both towns are busy places. In both the incidents, we had CRPF casualties and multiple injuries to (CRPF men) also,” the GoC said.

He said that in Sopore militants had used a mosque which is a new phenomenon. “From the mosque, we recovered 60 rounds of empty cases. The initial rounds were used to target CRPF men and the rest of the 50 were obviously fired with an aim to escape. Those 50 rounds caused civilian causality and that’s what exactly happened,” the army officer said. “These incidents are exploited by the environment and they provide a solid tool for the propaganda.

“As I said, every loss of life is unfortunate. We don’t even want to kill militants, we give them an opportunity to surrender,” the GoC Raju said.

The army tweet above the video on the official twitter handle reads: “Militants striking in populated areas seek civil casualties because that gets attention. Civilian deaths provide fodder to propaganda machines. Security forces show restraint. Even to the militants, we always offer the choice to surrender.”

Jammu, July 7: India Post (Bhartiya Dak Vibhag) has invited online application for engagement to Dak Sevak Posts in Jammu & Kashmir Circle.

As per a communiqué, a total of 442 vacancies for the posts of Branch Postmasters, Assistant Branch Postmasters and Dak Sevaks have been notified.

The interested candidates can apply online through official website http://appost.in/gdsonline/Home.aspx.  The last date to submit online application is 5th August 2020.

Suhail Khan

SRINAGAR, July 7: Over 5000 HIV-positive cases have been registered in Jammu and Kashmir, official figures reveal.

According to the statistics J&K State AIDS Control Society (JKSACS) accessed by news agency Kashmir Indepth News Service that over 5000 HIV-positive patients have been registered with the society in Jammu and Kashmir since 1991.

2756 patients are presently receiving treatment in J&K out of which 2,454 patients are from Jammu and 302 patients in Kashmir, the figures reveal.

Figures say that 365 were reported HIV+ve in 2018 and 187 were detected with the virus till September last year.

The data further reveals that over 1060 deaths have happened due to the virus in Jammu and Kashmir.

An official at JKSACS said that there are many hidden cases which go unreported as people show reluctance to come forward fearing the societal backlash and stigma attached to the disease.

Appealing people to come forward for the tests, the doctor said that with the detection of virus in the early stage, a patient can be prescribed proper treatment.

The doctor said that awareness plays an important role in the prevention of the virus.

However, he admitted that the awareness is a low key affair in the J&K as compared to other regions in the country.

Another official asserted that the drug menace has attained an alarming proportion in the new Union Territory.

“While the use of drugs is a major reason for HIV transmission mainly in Kashmir valley, female sex workers, truckers and labourers are the main transmitters in Jammu region. The other major causes of being affected by the virus are blood transfusion, unprotected sex and multi-person usage of needles,” the official added. (KINS)

Suhail Khan

Srinagar, July 7: There seems no end of suicides in depressed Kashmir as one more teenager ended her life by taking an extreme step, taking the toll of suicides in Kashmir to 11 since past one month.

The latest incident came to the fore on Tuesday when a 21-year-old girl committed suicide by consuming some poisonous substance at her home in Kunusa area of north Kashmir’s Bandipora District.

Reports said a 21-year-old girl (name withheld) consumed some poisonous substance at her residence. The family members rushed her to Sub District Hospital Sopore where she died.

A doctor at Sopore hospital confirmed this Incident to KINS, said she was declared brought dead on arrival.

The reason for the suicide was not immediately known.

Meanwhile, police has registered a case and taken up investigations.

As per news agency Kashmir Indepth News Service (KINS) in the last 28 days, 11 persons including two soldiers ended their lives by taking an extreme step in Kashmir Division.

As per data available with a news agency, June 11: A 35-year-old man from South Kashmir’s Ananthnag village ended his life by hanged self in his home.

June 18 : A CRPF man committed suicide by shooting self in Awantipora in south Kashmir.

June 21 : An elderly man from Handwara area of north Kashmir’s Kupwara committed suicide by hanged self.

June 23 : A 26-year-old youth ended his life by hanged self in Mandipora area of south Kashmir’s Ananthnag district.

June 23: Two cousins committed suicide by consuming poison in Handwara.

June 24: A 22-year-old youth hangs self to death in the Tangmerg area of North Kashmir’s Baramulla district.

June 25: A Govt. teacher in Handwara tried to end his life by consuming some poisonous substances, however, he was saved by the timely efforts of locals and police.

June 25: A 21-year-old youth ends life by committed suicide in Sopore town.

June 29 : A 23-year-old girl from New Colony Sopore attempted suicide however timely action of police, doctors she was saved.

June 30 :  A 25-year-old youth from Tral allegedly hanged himself to death at a maternity hospital in Bemina area of Srinagar.

July 06 : An Army man allegedly committed suicide by shooting himself dead with his service rifle in Boniyar area of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district.

July 07 : A 21-year-old girl today morning committed suicide after consuming some poisonous substance at her home in north Kashmir’s Bandipora district. (KINS)

Suhail Khan

Srinagar July 7: Authorities on Tuesday issued a notification for elections to the post of Mayor Srinagar.

Parvaiz Ahmad Qadri, who is Acting Mayor SMC Tuesday issued a notification asking SMC Commissioner to initiate process for the elections.

“Notification for fresh elections to the post of Mayor as per the Provision and relevant Section of the J&K Municipal Corporation Act, 2000. Therefore Commissioner. SMC may kindly initiate necessary process for fresh elections to the post of Mayor as per the provisions and relevant section of the J&K Municipal Corporation Act, 2000,” the notification reads,  a copy of which lies with news agency Kashmir Indepth News Service (KINS).

As per rules, a new mayor has to be elected within 30 days of the ouster/resignation of the previous one. On June 15, Junaid Matoo, the former Mayor of SMC couldn’t prove his major and had to step down from the post.

Congress corporators followed the party whip and abstained from the voting but two NC Corporators in violation of the party whip voted against Junaid, who, however, announced that he accepts the verdict.

However, since June 15, hectic lobbyism is going on among corporators of all the political parties.

What created ripples in the political circles recently was the call recording of the female corporator from Dalgate, who claimed that one of the political parties was backing Imran and would ensure he gets the Mayor’s post. She was, however, reprimanded by the party high command for her comments. Later Imran too denied any links with any political party.

Sheikh Imran had also clarified that he was not behind the ouster of Junaid Matoo from post of Mayor.(KINS)

Srinagar, July 7: Police on Tuesday filed a case under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and for public mischief under IPC over a letter attributed to former Hurriyat Conference (G) chairman Syed Ali Geelani having called for a strike on July 8 and 13.

Police said that the letter was fake and not issued by the Geelani who resigned as chairman of Hurriyat Conference last week.

“As per the family sources of SAS Geelani the letter is fake and not issued by him. This is published from Pakistan,” police said in a tweet. “Police is taking action against those who are circulating it through different social media platforms to instigate violence and create L&O (law and order) problems,” it said.

Later in the day, police said that a case (FIR No 265/2020) under section 13 ULA(P) Act, 505 IPC (public mischief) has been registered in police station Budgam. “Further investigation is in progress,” the police added. (KNS)

New Delhi, July 7: In a respite to students, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) on Tuesday announced that it will reduce the syllabus for Classes IX-XII for academic session 2020-21 by up to 30 per cent to make up for academic loss, due to the Novel Coronavirus pandemic.

‘Looking at the extraordinary situation prevailing in the country and the world, CBSE was advised to revise the curriculum and reduce course load for the students of Class 9th to 12th,’ Union Human Resource Development Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ said.

The reduction in the syllabus will be in terms of retaining the core concepts, the HRD minister added.

A notice regarding this decision has been uploaded on the Board’s official website.

It said the revision of syllabi was a measure taken due to the extraordinary situation prevailing in the country and at different parts of the world.

‘Considering the importance of achieving the level of learning, the syllabus has been rationalised to the extent possible by retaining the core concepts,’ CBSE said in a statement.

The changes have been finalised by the respective Course Committees with the approval of the Curriculum Committee and Goverrning Body of the Board due to the “extraordinary situation prevailing in the country”.

The CBSE has said that the reduced syllabus will not be part of the topics for internal assessment and board examination.

It asked the heads of schools and teachers to ensure that the topics that had been reduced were explined to the students to the extent needed to connect different topics. “However, the reduced syllabus will not be part of the topics for Internal AssesseMent and year-end Board Examination,” it said.

For Classes I-VIII, schools should follow the Alternative Academic Calendar and Learning Outcomes specified by NCERT, it recommended.

Dr Pokhriyal said he had received more than 1,500 suggestions from educationists across the country on the reduction of the syllabus under the hashtag #SyllabusForStudents2020.

Students, parents and teachers can check the revised curriculum for 2021 Classes 9 to 12 on cbseacademic.nic.in link. The chapters have not been removed but a few portions of the chapters have been deducted.