Porn Video of ammature girl shocks the Kashmir Valley

Nishwan Rasool:



On the eve of Children’s day porn MMS of a minor school girl was circulated to the mobile users in Kashmir.
Angry public plundered the house of the accused, pressuring the police to strike into action and nab the culprits in Budgam. Police have also registered a case of rape under section 376 of the Ranbir Penal Code (RPC).
The main accused, which was visible in the MMS, has also been busted by the police force.
Police are now eyeing for the other accused and his abettors who have been involved in the backing of the crime.

Later the girl who was clearly visible in the clip was questioned by the investigation officer.
As the summary about the character of the man who was the main accused in the whole drama reached the area, angry people took to streets and protest demanding the arrest of the other accused.
“We pelted stones and ransacked the house of the main accused in the Yachigam village because the man was already involve in some illegal activities’” said a local Tariq Khan.
Police immediately altered into action to control the tense situation. “We have arrested the main accused and registered a case under section 376,”said Uttam Chand, senior superintendent of police, Budgam district.
Uttam Chand further added, “We promise to take a strict action against the accused as we expect the age of girl to be less than 18 years. But we will wait for the final medical reports and her documentary details to verify it.
“According to the information we have collected the girl is 11th class student. Later investigation will verify her age. We are treating her as minor and thus case of rape has been registered”, he further lamented

'Accidental' tryst that unraveled truth

Nishwan Rasool:

Unraveling the truth often makes people attempt the unthinkable. Soon after the civil unrest in the Kashmir valley subsided last year, four young people had a tryst in the virtual world. They were strangers, but were bound by the common desire to tell the truth. Their virtual existence gave way to documenting the death of Sameer Rah- an eight-year-old boy, who was among the people killed during the period of Unrest. The four friends- Rizwan Alam Khan, Burhaan Kinu, Maryam Shamas and Shah Ifat Gazia, used their cellular phones and other portable devices to churn out a documentary detailing Rah’s death. The twenty-minute film titled 'Long ago I died', these days is being much talked about among film lovers in Kashmir. In a free-wheeling conversation with Nishwan Rasool, Maryam Shamas and Rizwan Khan talk about achieving the unthinkable.


NR: Tell me how was ‘Long ago I died' conceptualized?

RZ: During 2010 agitation, our parents had restricted our movements and the only option we had was internet to take out our annoyance and frustration. All of sudden we accidently came into contact with each other through a social networking site Facebook. That was the time when we realized that we shared a common goal and from that very point our journey to show reality and fact began.

NR: What has your initial idea of the Kashmir conflict been? And what's your present understanding of the issue?
MS: Notions have changed. In my childhood I saw Kashmir issue as a long tragic story with a foe I never recognized. It was more about human right violations. But gradually a deeper understanding of the issue has left me with no doubt that Kashmir is a political issue with a wronged past. The knots in history are more than what are visible. And without resolving these knots you can’t heal the wounds or expect justice.

NR: The Kashmiri youth have seen guns at the time when they ought to carry the toys in their hands? Last year’s unrest must have made impact on you as well. Was that the inspiration to make the film?

MS: More than inspired, I would say provoked.

NR: Could you explain?

MS: I mean every communication point was gagged during the period. We were left with nothing. So I guess it was provocation more than inspiration. Provocation to tell truth I must add.

NR: Tell me about the research days of the film?

MS: Actually in seeking the answers we only had more questions. From the graveyard to the place, where he died, Rah’s home, police stations, hospitals. In fact while doing all this we came across so many things small and big, that reminded us of the past- the forgotten massacres. The journey reminded us of our past.

NR: How difficult was it to maintain objectivity while dealing with a sensitive subject like this?

MS: To maintain objectivity is difficult but achievable, and for us it was extremely important. We were extremely careful that we do not fall in to the realms of bias.

Rizwan chips in and says: While dealing with a sensitive issues one has to be very careful, it should not hurt the sentiments of the people. To sum up, one cannot over do things.

NR: Do you think it is the responsibility of Kashmiri youth to raise awareness about the past or current happenings?

RZ: It’s not the responsibility of youth only but also of the elders to create mass awareness about the happenings which have taken place in the past. We are troubled to see that Kashmiri youth have forgotten many incidents which otherwise should have been highlighted in front of the World. There have been massacres like Kunanposhpora incident where the whole women folk of the village were raped by the armed forces. There has been Chattisingpora incident case where 36 Sikhs were massacred, the Gowkadal massacre and many more. How many of us know about these tragedies?

NR: What else can be done apart from visually chronicling Kashmir’s past?

RK: There should be seminars in colleges and universities about the history of Kashmir, where incidents should be discussed and people should be made aware of these facts. We believe that the only way to deal with the untrue world is to make yourself so much free that your very existence becomes an act of rebellion.



Silence is criminal at times. We need to stand up for justice, Shamas concludes.

Delhi blast: ‘Hang us if our children found guilty'

Nishwan Rasool:

The family of the two Kashmiri youth detained in Rajastha's Alwar region in connection with the Delhi blast, on Sunday declared to face execution if their sons were found guilty.



Abdul Gani Magray and his companion, Mian Ahmad, both hailing from Choogam area of Islamabad district of south Kashmir were picked up by police from Alwar on Friday in connection with the bomb blast in Delhi, a day earlier that left 13 people dead and over 70 injured.


“When the blast took place in New Delhi, Gani was home. He left on 8th of September, a day after the blast. This clearly indicates that his involvement in the blast is not impossible,” Magray’s cousin Ghulam Nabi says.



“We’re ready to face hanging, if the fair and free investigations find my cousin involved in the blast,” he adds.

Nabi says his cousin, who works as a stone miner is an illiterate person and had gone out of the Valley for the first time in his life, adding, "He is a hard worker who earns his living by working at a stone quarry."

“He has never indulged in any unlawful activity. Police can confirm it as well. He is a simple man and he fell prey to the deception of some unknown caller who asked him to come and receive the lucky draw he has won,” he added.

Urging the Chief Minister to intervene, the family member said that a fair and transparent probe will prove that the men detained for the bombing are indeed innocents.

Pertinently, the duo was arrested by a police party when they were searching for accommodation at hotel Gulab Devi Inn in Kishangarh Bas area of Alwar.

Meanwhile, police has given clean chit to the duo saying nothing adverse against them is in the police records.



“The track record of both the persons is clean. However, we can’t say if they have been arrested for Delhi blasts or for some other case,” a senior police official said.

Encounters 'premeditated, cover ups' in cases: Wikileaks

Nishwan Rasool:

The United States Embassy in New Delhi informed Washington that while in the early years of insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir government forces “carried out fake encounters “to hide their mistakes”, there were cases where they were “clearly premeditated”.



“When Kashmir took the mantle of "hotbed of terrorism" from Punjab, it also began to assume a greater share of likely staged encounters,” the cable sent in 2006 read.

“In some cases of security forces killing civilians and subsequently claiming to have killed terrorists, we can assume the high operational tempo led to accidental deaths that the security officers staged after the fact, to cover up mistakes,” the cable titled “staged encounters a blemish for India” said.

“In some cases, however, the staged encounters were clearly premeditated. For staged encounters in J&K that have subsequently been investigated and charges levied against the perpetrators,” the cable sent as an unclassified document, said.

Photojournalists working with Al Jazeera, Zuma 'beaten, detained'

Nishwan Rasool:

Two photojournalists, including a foreign national on Friday were allegedly detained, beaten to pulp by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) troopers and policemen during pro-freedom demonstrations in the Old City of Srinagar.



Eyewitnesses told Kashmir Dispatch that Showkat Shafi, who works as a freelancer with Al Jazeera English website and his Mexcian friend- California-based Zuma Press photojournalist Narciso Contreras were allegedly thrashed to the pulp and later detained by the joint team of CRPF and police, when the duo were covering stone pelting protests in Nowhatta area of the Old City this afternoon.

The photojournalists, they said, were dragged by the forces to the police station Nowhatta, where they were detained 'illegally for over five hours'.

Both the photographers received serious injuries due to the beating. They were rushed to the SMHS hospital by their colleagues when released by police 'in an injured and traumatic condition'.

“We were performing our professional duty, when a contingent of CRPF men intercepted us in a lane. Without saying a word they pounced on us. They not only abused us, but beat us with bamboo sticks and gun butts for over 15 minutes,” a visibly shocked Shafi told this correspondent at the SMHS hospital, where he was brought by his colleagues.


The doctors at the hospital later referred Shafi to SK Institute of medical sciences for specialized treatment.

“We were later dragged to the police station. For 5 hours, we were detained. The cops didn’t even stop beating us inside the police station,” he added.

The forces, he said, were furious with their coverage of the protests.



“We were released in injured state. My friend has suffered multiple injuries in the forces action,” he said.

Contreras alleged that besides beating him ruthlessly police took away Rs 50,000 from his bag in the police station.


Meanwhile, police refuted the allegations and said that two photojournalists were released after being detained along with a few stone pelters inside a shop.

“Youth pelted stones on CRPF and our men. When chased, some of them entered a shop. At least six people were arrested from the shop, two among them later turned out to be photojournalists. They were released instantly,” Superintendent of Police (SP) North, Showkat Shah said.

http://aljazeera.com/news/asia/2011/08/201181919133638149.html

Faceless assassins on prowl

Nishwan Rasool:
At about 9.30 on Wednesday night, Mohammad Ashraf Dar quietly ventured out of his house in ChanKhan locality of Sopore town. But, his mother saw him talking on cellular phone while moving out. “We presumed that he was talking to his fiancee,” says a family member.

Dar the eldest among three siblings, including two sisters, had been engaged last week and had plans to solemnize his marriage in near future.



At about 10.15, the silent night was broken by a volley of bullets that triggered panic among the residents. Then there was silence. “We first thought a gun-battle had broken but minutes later the gunfire stopped,” says a local Zubair Khan.

Asharaf’s father, Ghulam Ahmad Dar, who works as a sweeper, tried to venture out but was stopped by the family members. They too thought that a gun-battle had broken out so choose to stay indoors and wait for Ashraf to return.

Till the crack of the dawn, he didnt return and his family went out in search. His bullet ridden body was found few hundred meters away away from his house near Krankshivan Colony.

Ashraf, 28, belonged to a poor family and worked as a labourer at a band saw mill. “He was the only one to have a cellular phone in our family. We could not call him,” says a relative.

“My son has done nothing, he is innocent,” says Ashraf’s mother Sara Begum at her modest house on Muslim Educational Trust road in Sopore.

His body was taken by police for post mortem and later returned to the family for final rites.

“Police recovered a bullet-ridden body of a band saw labourer near Krankshivan Colony, Sopore. A case has been registered in this regard,” a police official said.

Ashraf’s killing comes five days after Mohsin Wani, 35, a businessman was shot dead by unknown gunmen in Kralteng locality of the town.

Despite resentment, protests and strong condemnations from pro-freedom and pro-India parties, the killings at the hands of unknown gunmen have continued in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district since the begining of year.

In the last six months, shockingly, at least eight people, including two teenage sisters were killed and four injured by mysterious gunmen.

The cycle of the killings by the ‘unknown gunmen’ started from one-room house in Muslim Peer locality of Sopore on the evening of January 31. The victims- Kulsuma, 19 and Rehana, 17 were dragged from their house and shot dead in the neighboring Mohalla Rahim Sahab.

The killing led to a blame game between police and the militants. While police accused Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) for the siblings’ killings and even identified the militants involved, the latter rejected the police claims and suspected the hand of the government agencies.

Amid charges and counter charges, the police on March 13, claimed to have killed Lashkar militant, Waseem Ahmad Ganai ‘responsible’ for the sisters’ killing.
Ten days after Muslim Peer killings, unidentified gunmen shot at and injured two youth in two different shootouts in the Apple town.

Majid Ahmad, son of Bashir Ahmad Khan of Badam Bagh was shot at and injured in Chotta Bazar area while Mohammad Arif, son of Abdul Gaffar Reshi of Watlab was fired upon near the Sopore bus stand.

On the evening of February 15, the horror of unknown gunmen visited Kreeri area of the district.

Two girls, including a minor were injured after being shot at by unidentified pistol-borne men in Duderhama village of Kreeri.

The girls, Shaista, 18, daughter of Ghulam Mohi-ud-din Akhoon and 6-year-old Monisa, miraculously survived in the shootout.

The police arrested three people, including Shaista’s sister-in-law, Haseena Badroo for hatching the conspiracy with the help of pro-government gunmen, popularly known as Ikhwanis.

On February 28, unidentified gunmen again resurfaced in Kreeri. Their target: A businessman. Haji Nazir Ahmad Lone, 45, son of Mohammad Abdullah of Thindam was shot dead from close range inside his office in broad day light.

The locals took to streets demanding the identification of the ‘unidentified killers’.

As the police probed the incident, starling revelations came into the light. The killing, according to the police was carried out by Lone’s competitor to settle personal scores.

Interestingly, in this ‘contract killing’ plot, the names of former militants and police sources surfaced surprising even the police department.\



Twenty-one-year old, Sajad Ahmad Dar, son of Abdul Rahman Dar of Kraleteng was the third victim of unknown gunmen this year.

A school drop-out, Sajad was shot dead near Mohalla Rahim Sahib, Sopore on April 10.

Fourteen days after Sajad’s killing, unidentified gunmen again stuck in Kreeri village killing an Imam.

Hafiz Mohammad Ashraf Lone, 30, of Chattipora, Sopore was shot in the head, three days after he reportedly went missing. The killing was widely condemned across political circles.

However, the condemnations and the calls for probe did not put an end to the killings.

On the evening of April 30, unidentified gunmen appeared in Chankhan locality of the Apple town and shot at and critically injured Shams ud din Parray, 24, son of Ghulam Hassan.

Contractual lecturers protest govt ‘indifference’, get batons

Nishwan Rasool:

Dozens of contractual lecturers of different degree colleges in the Kashmir valley received injuries as police resorted to baton charge on them while they were protesting against the government indifference towards their demands at press enclave here.

The lecturers were holding a protest demonstration demanding increased salary and regularisation of services.

“We were trying to hold a peaceful demonstration for acceptance of our demands but police resorted to stern baton charge,” Ameen, a contractual lecturer said.



He further added, “We hadn’t done anything wrong. We are only raising voice for our rights, but our voices are always being suppressed with force.”

The lecturers, having Masters degrees and holding Ph.D are paid ‘not more than Rs 8000 per month, while a regular 4th class employee’ earns up to Rs 15000 per month in the same degree college, he alleged.

“Is this justified in a democratic state?” he asked.

Chanting vociferous slogans against the government 'mismanagement', the teachers were demanding a ‘smooth and transparent process of promotion’ when they were baton charged.

“Even woman lecturers weren’t spared and were brutally thrashed and manhandled by the police,” said another lecturer who wished to remain anonymous.




“When political magnates take out rallies and disrupt traffic for 3 hours, the state machinery does nothing, but when it is about teachers or any other sector we are met with force,” he added.

In colleges in the summer capital here, an estimated 80 per cent of the class work is affected due to the strike, given the workload shared by the contractual staff.

Around 650 contractual lecturers have been on indefinite strike since Monday. They are demanding revocation of the nomenclature, terming them academic arrangement lecturers and teaching assistants instead of contractual lecturers; monthly stipends equivalent to the basic salary of the post on which they are engaged; and end to new norm of six classes per day.

When contacted, the president college contractual teachers association (CCTA), Fayaz Ahmad, said the strike was being observed with commitment. He hinted that there was no possibility of calling off the strike soon.




“There has been no response from the government. Therefore, the strike will continue,” he said.

Asked about the government response, he said: “So far we have not received any invitation for negotiations.”

'Opertaion Blue Tossed' ,Trouble for Politicians and Babus

Nishwan Rasool:-

Joint Consultative Committee (JCC), an amalgam of government employee unions, here, ‘has threatened to launch a campaign aimed to uncover the massive bungling by bureaucrats and politicians by disclosing their undisclosed assets’.

Termed as ‘Operation Blue’, Qayoom Wani, Employees Joint Action Committee (Q) told Kashmir Dispatch, “We have the monetary information of all the politicians and the bureaucrats of our so called democratic state, and if our demands would not be fulfilled within a given deadline we would divert all the information to media and central government.”


Wani said they would go ahead ‘with the unraveling of the illegal assets of the politicians and bureaucrats’ if the government failed to meet their demands by August 6.

Thousands of employees on Monday on the call of JCC had gathered at Exhibition crossing in the heart of the city and started marching towards the nearby Civil Secretariat in the afternoon.

The JCC had announced “Secretariat Gherao” and threatened to intensify the agitation if the demands of the employees were not met immediately.

Police used baton and water-canons against the protesting employees. Many among them were detained also.

Stating that yesterday’s act as “brutal and undemocratic”, Khursheed Alam member JCC said, “The state has always used its forces against the poor and destitute employee who are pushing for their genuine demands.”



Both the employee leaders have now asked their members from the three divisions of the state not to attend offices on August 5 and hold sit-in protests outside their offices on August 6.

After prolonged agitation till May last year, the employees had called off their strike after the assurance by the government and cabinet sub-committee that their demands would be fulfilled in due course of time.

The demands included release of arrears in cash in favour of the retiree employees, enhancement of retirement age from 58 to 60, regularization of about 50000 ad hoc and other temporary employees, and redressal of pay anomalies in different cadres.



Both the leaders have demanded chief minister, Omar Abdullah to immediately address the employees’ demands.

Child unsuccessfully operated thrice in 30 days at SMHS

Nishwan Rasool:

In a case of alleged negligence, a three-year-old child was operated thrice after repeated failed surgeries by different doctors at the Shri Maharaja Hari Singh (SMHS), hospital here. Azhar Jan, 3, daughter of Fayaz Ahmad of Handwara was operated for appendix by a doctor at the SMHS hospital here on March 14, this year, her father Fayaz Ahmad said.

After surgery, the girl child was kept in the observation ward for the next ten days. However, the condition of the child deteriorated.



The doctors at the hospital told the family that the baby has to be operated once again.

On March 24, Azhar Jan was operated again. The surgery was performed by another doctor.

“The doctor told me that the operation was successful. He said my daughter needs to remain under observation for two days, before she could be taken home,” Ahmad said.

However, he said his happiness to see her daughter recuperating did not last long.

Hours after the surgery, Ahmad said, blood and septic started oozing out of her wounds.

The alleged failed surgery, Fayaz said, shattered the family.

He said the head of the department on March 30 visited the ward where his daughter was recuperating.

Ahmad said asked him to take an undertaking as the doctors decided to go for another surgery.

“The third surgery failed as well. More than the much needed medicare, my daughter was made a scapegoat. The doctors experimented with her,” he alleged.

The doctors, he said, did not even stop after the third surgery. He said he was asked by the doctors that his daughter has to go another surgery on July 5.

“I’ve just lost faith in the doctors. They won’t rest till my daughter is dead,” he said.

Ahmad said that he sold his land to meet the expenses for the treatment of his daughter.

However, he said not only economic loss, but the family has undergone psychological trauma due to the alleged negligence of the doctors.

Lecturers boycott classes, students suffer

Nishwan Rasool:

The face-off between state government and the contractual lecturers is affecting education of many students studying at various graduate colleges across the Kashmir valley. The contractual lecturers are on an indefinite strike and have boycotted the classes as Government ‘has failed to fulfil their long-pending demands’.

Many classes at almost every college have not been going on from last three days – since the strike began.

“Class work remained suspended as the contractual teaching staff, which is a major workforce in the colleges, stayed away from teaching,” says Khurram Ahmad, a student at Sri Pratap College here.


For students covering long distances, the strike has added to the inconvenience. “We cover a distance of almost 70 kilometres from Srinagar to Baramulla and since last three days the classes are not taking place,” says Ifra Shaikh, who is pursuing Bachelors in Computer Application at Women’s Degree College, Baramulla in North Kashmir.

Ifra, who is in the third year of her graduation, feels teachers must realize that very less time is left to prepare for final examination. “If the strike goes on it can really prove perilous for our future,” she says.

In all the major colleges in Srinagar, unaware about the ongoing strike, students were seen outside the classes waiting for teachers.

“We, don’t know what exactly the problem between the government and the teachers is, but, in this tug of war students are the sole sufferers,” says Hamid Ali, who is pursuing graduation at Valley’s oldest institution- Amar Singh College.

Students particularly in the final years of their graduation are finding it hard to comprehend as for three successive years colleges during summer have hardly functioned.

“My graduation has been affected by something or the other. First the Amarnath land row which was followed by Shopian rape and murder case, the last year civil unrest and now the indefinite strike,” says an engineering student Munsheeb Shah.

“I can count my attendance on finger-tips for the number of times I had lectures in last 1095 days,” he says with an evident sarcasm.

But the fears of students are too little for the community of contractual lecturers, 'whose woes have hardly been tendered by the government'.

At least 850 lecturers working in various colleges are demanding revocation of an order of the Higher Education that asks them to teach 150- 200 students.

These teachers believe the order is against the University Grants Commission (UGC) norms and had rendered 1100 of their colleagues jobless.

“The workload circular has reduced a teacher’s job to that of a Munshi (record-keeper) as we have to teach 150 to 200 students which is a gross violation of UGC norms,” says a contractual teacher Mohammad Wasim.

The teachers believe that the government’s decision has forced them to go on strike. “We have been observing silent protests, wearing black arm bands in colleges and submitting appeals to the principals, but the government did not comply with our demands,” says Tanveer Hussain, a contractual teacher.

A solution if not reached fast could put career of many students in jeopardy, he remarks emphatically.

Fun dive that turned fatal

Nishwan Rasool:

Last Friday when people in adjacent areas of City Centre here were going to offer Friday prayers, Shakir Bhat, 15, stopped in the middle of the footbridge that connects the Bund with Raj Bagh locality. Accompanied by a friend, the teen from Tyndale Biscoe School was about to do the impossible – he was going to jump into Jehlum. The lads were joined by other friends at the footbridge. “Initially there appeared chaos, we tried to stop them,” says one of the Shakir’s friend.



Two boys from Biscoe School watch Jehlum waters from the spot where Shakir jumped on Friday last

Perhaps, he had second thoughts, but the other boy who set out with Shakir to jump from the bridge had dived moments before jumping from the dangerous spot.

Shakir’s friends asked him not to jump. “We shouted at him not to jump but a group of girls who were passing by egged him on” says the friend.

Despite being a dangerous stunt the boy who had jumped before him had credentials to do so, he says.

According to his friends the applause prompted to alter his decision and jump into the deadly river never to return again.

While Shakir’s relatives continue to camp at the site of incident, his classmates are finding it almost impossible to comprehend the loss. He is remembered and missed every moment. In his class room- 10th Red, the third desk as one enters- where Shakir would sit has been left empty. Even his close friends have been shifted to another section of the class.



But that hasn’t helped. “We start the day thinking when will his body be fished out and we sleep with the same thoughts,” say his friends who spend time waiting at the banks after the school gets over.

Shakir’s classmates, who shared a bench with him, remember him as a ‘person with a good heart’, endeared to everyone who knew him.

“Seven days have passed, but the episode is still roving in our minds, it is our worst nightmare,” say Shakir’s friends.

The shock and despair on their face is far too evident even after eight days of the incident. “He always used to carry lunch from home, which we stole,” says a close friend.

The students are angry at the lack of interest shown by the school. “When the principal’s son got married, we had a week long holiday. But when one of our classmates drowned, no one is even bothered to talk about it,” the students say.

Their anger hasn’t found a vent. About four days ago a solidarity rally arranged through social networking site was scuttled using repressive measures. “As we came out of the school, the police team intercepted and prevented us from taking out the rally. The students, including girls offered stiff resistance and tried to move to footbridge, where Shakir's family is camping for the last eight days,” says a student.

“We had arranged a peaceful solidarity rally but police, chased and beat us outside the school, they even didn’t leave the students of 5th and 6th class they were also beaten,” Omer a student adds.

“We received batons and abuses for holding a solidarity rally. Is this what we call a justice and a democratic state,” he questions.

They believe that the government is not taking the search operation seriously and see it just as a river-rafting exercise. “At the end of the day they come out with perplexed faces after cleaning the garbage from the river,” says a disgruntled student.

Stating the act as imprudent, a senior staff member at Tyndale Biscoe school was told after the incident by some students, “12 students were planning to jump from the footbridge on the same day to see who among them could swim fastest to the banks. However, the unfortunate incident acted as a deterrent for them.”

He expresses need for a rescue point to be set up near the bridges as most drowning incidents occur there. “More they delay in doing so, lesser are he chances of salvaging the lives of people,” he says.

Faheem Bakhtoo is a former student at Biscoe School. He has been watching the rescue operation since the incident took place and he seems visibly disappointed. “I believe that the government hasn’t taken their jobs seriously. It looks as if they are enjoying boat rafting there,” he says.

The strategy employed by various rescue teams from different departments is to create whirlpool in the river by moving boats in circular motion and putting hooks.

However, experts say that such strategies are faulty when applied in a moving water body like a river.


Abdul Ahad (name changed), an official of the State’s Water Transportation Department feels that such incidents could be prevented but lack of resources rescue are major constraint.

Ahad says that Kashmir has Asia’s two biggest fresh water lakes and three major river and the resources deployed to guard such mammoth territory is miniscule.

It is pertinent to mention that the river rescue team has not for the first time failed to fish out the drowned. Recently, Omar Farooq, 10, who drowned after a pack of stray dogs chased him in Old City, was fished out by locals in Sumbal in North Kashmir after 23 days.

In such cases locals living near the banks are informed about the drowned person. Ahad says, “Identification and contact details are given to people living along the banks of Jehlum in North Kashmir and are asked to inform the relatives if the body comes up.”

However, the state administration claims that they are well equipped to carry out such rescue operations. “We have a sufficient number of boats for the operation. But we need professional water divers who could search below the water and would be good enough to use the underwater equipments,” says Amir Ali, Officer on Special Duty at Divisional Commissioners office.

He says, “We are trying our level best to find out the body. We are hoping to fish out his body at the Chattabal Weir.”

Biscoe Students 'thrashed' for solidarity Rally

Nishwan Rasool :

Jammu and Kashmir police on Monday used batons to quell ‘solidarity rally’ of the students for the family of drowned student of a missionary school in Lal Chowk area, here.

Scores of students of Tyndale Biscoe and Mallinson school early this morning assembled near Lal Chowk and tried to take out a rally to express solidarity with the family of tenth standard student, Shakir Ashraf Bhat, who drowned in river Jhelum on Friday.

As the students came out of the school, eyewitnesses said a police team intercepted the students and prevented them from taking out the rally. The students, including girls offered stiff resistance and tried to move to Lal Mandi, where the family of the drowned teenage student has been camping for the last four days.

“We had arranged a peaceful solidarity rally today. Police, however, chased and beat us outside the school,” a student, identifying himself as Omer said.

“We were also beaten by police near the footbridge,” he added.

On Friday last week, Shakir and his friend Sheikh Suleman jumped into river Jhelum after they allegedly entered into a bet. While Sheikh successfully swam across, Shaker son of Mohammad Ashraf Bhat of Nowgam, drowned.

Another student wishing not to be named said that many students were injured in the police action.

“We received batons for holding a solidarity rally. Is this justice,” he asked.

The angry students also lashed at the response of the administration over the incident.

“When the principal’s got married we had a week long holiday. But when one of our classmates drowned no one is even bothered to talk about it,” a student said.

Meanwhile, police refuted the allegations and accused the students of indulging in stone pelting.

“The students tried to hurl stones and we had to bring the situation under control” a police official said.

Aalia Sheikh/Pics-Nishwan Rasool:

“They started entering houses and shooting people at point blank range,” Ghulam Qadeer Baig recalls that fateful day of May 21, 1990, which is remembered as Hawal massacre in the collective memory of Kashmiris. The killings by the Border Security Force troopers took place on a day when people were participating in the funeral procession of Mirwaiz Molvi Farooq.

Ghulam Qadeer’s brother-in-law, Farooq Ahmad Baig, son of Mohammad Abdullah Baig, was among the 67 people killed in the Hawal massacre – one of the worst massacres in Kashmir’s recent history.

“I still remember it like it was yesterday,” Qadeer recalls. “How could I forget it? We were helpless and at the mercy of those who had come to kill us,” he says and then lapses into a melancholic silence. Clogged by memories that come back to haunt him, he needs these pauses to recollect his thoughts.

His wife, Parvaiza, chips in when her husband fails to express his pain. “My brother was one among the people killed that day,” she says. He was participating in the funeral procession of Mirwaiz Molvi Farooq. “He was just paying his respects to a dead man,” she says. “Why did they have to kill him?”

Recounting the events of that day, she says, “On hearing gun-shots, many people ran and hid themselves in a neighbour’s house. I was one among them. That is why I could not see my brother being killed.”

Casting a longing glance at the picture of her brother, Parvaiza is torn between the consolation of not having to bear the sight of her brother being shot in front of her eyes, and the regret of not being able to see him alive for the last time.

Although Ghulam Qadeer has survived that horrific day, he hasn’t been able to come out of it without scars. He says the BSF troopers entered his neighbour’s house and shot him and his son, and then their house was set on fire.

The troopers next barged into Basheer Ahmad Baig’s house. “They killed him and his two sons,” says Qadeer. “His wife was also shot in the chest, but she survived along with their third son.”

The names of the victims and the number of people killed that day may change, but there’s one common feature in all the memories of survivors: troopers barging into people’s homes and shooting civilians, and not even sparing women and children.

“My son, who was ten years old then, was also shot at by the BSF troopers,” says Qadeer. “But thanks to Allah, the bullets missed him and hit the wall behind him,” he says. “The troopers also came towards me. I was sitting in this very room, with my young daughter in my lap,” he recalls sitting in his room. One of the troopers placed the barrel of his gun on Qadeer’s chest. “But he eventually changed his mind and did not shoot me,” he says.

Parvaiza’s sobs are the only intermittent sounds in her room. The silence that fills the room is deafening. Abdul Farooq’s mother, Makhta Begum, 60, enters the room.

“They came and snatched him from my arms. The troopers followed Farooq Ahmad right from the procession to his house. When he came in, his mother held him close to her chest -- to protect him. “He was shot in front of me,” Makhta Begum recalls that day when her son was killed. She recounts that day in a matter of fact tone, as if she is bereft of all feelings and emotions.

Later, the Beig family went to the Nowhatta police station and lodged a complaint against the troopers. “One of the BSF trooper’s cap fell in our home. The name inscribed on it was Pokhla. We took it to the police station and lodged a complaint against the trooper,” says Qadeer. But the trooper was suspended from duty only for six months.

Pokhla’s suspension could not bring them justice. If anything, it made their lives even worse. “We complained in the hope that he would be jailed and justice would be done to us,” says Parvaiza. “But they only suspended him for some time,” she says. “He was living in the area around our house and we did not want to face the consequences of standing up against a trooper.”

The family eventually had to move out of the locality and shift to Pampore in Pulwama district. They were on the move for about ten years, constantly shifting to Zoonimar and Soura. It cost Ghulam Qadeer his livelihood. “We lost our business and are living like paupers now,” says Ghulam Qadeer whose back problem restricts him from taking up regular jobs.

Eventually, they had to return to their own home in Hawal, where the ghosts of May 21, 1990 still haunt the family.

Disparity between the Old Media and New Media

Nishwan Rasool :-

Disparity between the Old Media and New Media
To me New media and old media isn't about the medium, it's not whether it convey from a radio or a Television, or whether it's printed on paper. Old media is begging for attention while New media itself is a attention. New media generally is digital or we can say it’s all about digitization the things and making them informative and interactive. Old media generally is analog and passive thus bounded up to the certain limits.

The print media is all about their outlook, their viewpoint their attitude and their versus. Weather it may be print or electronic media it can’t be old fashioned every publication has to move with time to time and generations after generations to sustain in an country or state weather it may be local, national or International publication.

All the components of the print media whether its stylesheet, its appearance how the readers will perceive it its outlook needs to be manipulated in accordance with the time. To, doing things differently on printing sector one has to compile all these elements. Magazine (which is an essential component in the field of print media) isn't purely an attempt at perfecting the print title, it's basically the print heading as art. It has to be serene and enjoyed and that enjoyment doesn't come through the title or heading finding its way into your pile of magazines or other table books (it's more the latter than the former) but when the best parts of the title are out on display the more demanded and readership increases because of its writing context, its look. And this is the approach that really shows the main difference between a monochrome publications and new era publication whether it would be a magazine or newspaper. New media do things differently that really makes them a part of the new media set as opposed to the old: each page of the newspaper or magazine is finely perforated down the spine, encouraging you not to just to turn the page, but to pull it out, to frame it, to have the photograph become actual art, an art that graces and beautifies your walls.
It is a fact that old media was more elite in terms of who worked for newspapers and who decided what was newsworthy), the problem with new media's age is that "anyone can be a journalist" means that there are masses of people out there with no formal training or with journalistic professional skills, ability to distinguish newsworthiness or sense of ethics drifting the Web with rumors lot of the time. enlarged access is great, but just because "anyone can be a journalist" doesn't mean that anyone SHOULD be, there should be a professionalism which can separate a local man from the true professionalism. Moreover the old media and the professionals working in the particular group like newsdesk and newsroom were assigned by their senior’s and bosses and they were make supposed to do that particular thing with the era growing and digitization and Web portals taking place Blogs, poadcast and free web site softwares being avalible on the net have separated the old media with new one. The new media which mostly carries the web services in which news also travels faster, as they don't have to wait for their time to slot for the next day’s paper to be printed. It's just a matter of gathrering, compiling, cross checking hitting submit and what you have to report its there for the world to see.

Woman miscarries outside Lal Ded hospital on the Road side, Official's order Probe into incident

Nishwan Rasool:-
After continuous allegations of mismanagement and malfunctioning, the Valley's lone maternity hospital is in news again for wrong reasons. A woman suffered miscarriage due to the alleged highhandedness security staff at the hospital here on Tuesday.

Saleema Bano, 30, wife of Din Mohammad Khatana of Kuligam Kupwara suffered a miscarriage outside the maternity hospital after the security staff didn’t allow the ambulance carrying Saleema and her family to proceed beyond the main gate, sources said.

“An ambulance (JKO1F- 0008) approached the main gate of the hospital around 10:45 this morning, but the security staff didn’t allow it to pass through. The woman was held up for 20 minutes and, as a result, she suffered miscarriage outside the hospital,” sources said, adding that hundreds of people joined the family in their protest against the hospital administration.

Saleema had been referred to the Lal Ded hospital from SMHS hospital.

Additional Deputy Commissioner Srinagar, Mukhtar- ul- Aziz reached the spot and pacified the protesters with an assurance that a through probe will be conducted into the incident.

“According to doctors the fetus had already died in the womb. However, investigations have been initiated into the incident,” he said.
Later on authorities at Kashmir’s lone maternity hospital Lal Ded on Thursday ordered probe into the alleged highhandedness by the security staff that led to the miscarriage of a woman.

“This is the first unfortunate incident that occurred in the hospital. We have ordered an enquiry in this incident. The persons found guilty, will be taken to task,” Medical Superintendent, Mohammad Shafi Shah told this correspondent

The ordeal of pain for Matto family of Pulwama is marked by tales of state oppression and aching reminiscences.

Nishwan Rasool:-
The ordeal of pain for Matto family of Pulwama is marked by tales of state oppression and aching reminiscences. The family has suffered at the hands of government forces. The festering wounds never healed for this family.

On a morning in the month of November 1993, 7-year-old, Javed Mattoo was having lunch with his parents when the 182 Battalion of Border Security Force rounded up the house and took away Javed with them.

Javed’s father, Ghulam Nabi Mattoo recalls, “On November 3, 1993, the BSF patrol party which was headed by Gurmeet Singh [Inspector] with his other two assistants Sukhu Singh and Tirlook Singh arrested over a dozen youth in the village. All of them were released but my son was held up in the camp only.’’

Javed was first taken to a bunker in Pulwama, after which he was shifted to the police station. “We tried to contact the police officials for his release but they kept on telling us that he would be released day after tomorrow. We were very worried,” he lamented.

“He was illegally detained for no offence. The BSF told us that he would be released after few days but the day never came,” he added.

Matoo said that the police refused to file a case against the BSF. “They accused that my 7 year old son had fled away from the camp.”

Javed, then, a student of 1st standard in the Govt Public School [Kareema Abad] in Pulwama, excelled not only in his studies but co-curricular activities too. He was very hard working and patient too, Matoo reminisces.

The wait didn’t end. The pain grew. Wounds bled afresh. After 6 months of Javed’s disappearance, his sister who could not bear the pain of separation died of shock.

Not recovering from the loss of his daughter yet, Matoo kept running from pillar to post in search of their son.

“We many times visited the BSF camp to meet Javed but they ignored us saying that the officer is not present. This continued for months together. We always returned home disappointed and distraught,” he sighed.

After lodging an FIR, the family went to the BSF camp, where they were told that Javed fled way while identifying and showing a militant hideout to the forces. “My son never went to the playground with his friends. How could a 7 year old know about a militant hideout?”Matoo asks.

Javed’s case was taken by a Human Rights group in Delhi by but nothing happened. Justice remained alien.

A ray of hope was finally seen but it too deserted the family.

Athe 8 months of Javed’s disappearance, an old man working as a carpenter in one of the leading colleges of the state- National Institute of Technology( NIT) informed the family that Javed was kept in a hidden room in the NIT campus. “The old man told us that he had met Javed in the campus and had a small chat with him. Javed had told him that he was picked up by the BSF forces and wrong information of his feeling away was conveyed,” Matoo said.

“When we contacted the Army officials at NIT ,they told us that no one was brought here and that we have received the wrong information’’ he added tears brimming his eyes..

The family has questions which most Kashmiris have “Why is an innocent Kashmiri always targeted. Why is the State silent?”

The fight is on.

“We have harbored this pain for eighteen years now. We want to know if he is alive or dead. We will fight till end. None of the political or economic package can heal our wounds.’’

Govt's priority national interest not justice, says Jaleel Andrabi's family

Reacting to the media reports that the government is making attempts to extradite former Indian Army Major Avtar Singh, who is wanted in the murder of human rights activist Jaleel Andrabi, his family has expressed doubts on the sincerity of the government which according to the family ‘always gives priority to the national interest over justice’.
“I don’t see it as a ray of hope. They will not do anything as it will spoil India’s global image,” said Arshid Andrabi, Jaleel’s brother and lawyer who is fighting the case in High Court since 1996.
“The Director, CBI in New Delhi is in-charge of Interpol affairs in India and to safe guard the national interest they don’t take interest in this case, that’s why instead of being in jail the accused in enjoying in a foreign country,” he said.
On February 21, a California based news channel, Action News reported on Avtar Singh’s presence in Selma locality of California. Singh who was in hiding since he left India was arrested on charges of domestic violence after his wife filed a police complaint.
Despite an Interpol red corner notice, the US State Department told the local police that it wasn't necessary to hold Singh, who let Singh free on bail hours after his arrest. However, the local police say they will still keep a close vigil on his movements after fingerprints revealed his identity and an Interpol hold for Andrabi's murder.
Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) in February 2010 had issued an Interpol red corner notice against Singh. The CJM had asked the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to get the warrants executed but the agency didn’t take any step to arrest or extradite him.
Jaleel’s brother and lawyer Arshid says, the Indian government got many opportunities to extradite Singh while he was in Canada and US but the Indian government didn’t show any interest.
“In 2005 the Canadian police requested the Indian government to provide details about him, since the police in Canada had located him. There was some hue and cry by Human rights groups and Amnesty International which forced Singh to shift his base to California,” said Arshid.
Adding, “In 2009 the California police wrote to the CJM court asking it to provide details about Singh but here in India, nothing was done to extradite him,” he said.
Arshid now plans to file a fresh petition before the court based on the news reports to issue orders to the government to extradite Singh.
“Yes, we will be moving court to get fresh orders in this regard,” he said.
However, a New Delhi based newspaper on Monday reported that Singh will be brought to India in next 15 days. The newspaper quoted Raja Ajaz Ali Inspector General, (IGP) Crime saying that the accused has been located in California.
“The US police informed the Interpol and in turn they communicated us. The accused is in the preventive custody of the US police in California and would shifted to Srinagar in fifteen days. We were asked by the Interpol and the US police to furnish fresh warrants against the accused and we have acquired the same from session’s court in Srinagar," the newspaper quoted Ali as saying.
A source close to the case told Kashmir Dispatch that the team is yet to take up the matter with the US Embassy in New Delhi.
Major Avtar Singh of 35th Rashtriya Rifles, is accused of killing 11 persons including Andrabi according to a US state Department report in 2002 which says court action in cases of extrajudicial killings is slow and uncertain.
According to the investigations carried out by a police’s Special Investigation Team (SIT) on court orders, Singh along with government gunmen abducted Jaleel near Barazulla on airport road on March 8, when the activist was driving home along with his wife.
The Jammu and Kashmir Bar Association filed a habeas corpus petition in the High Court on March 9, and the court ordered the army to produce Andrabi. However, the army denied that Andrabi was in custody. Over the next two weeks, the court continued to grant the government extensions for replying to the petition.
The mutilated body of Andrabi was found in the Kursuraj Bagh, Srinagar on the banks of the Jhelum River on the morning of March 27, 1996. 42-year old Andrabi had been shot in the head and his eyes had been gouged out. An autopsy showed that he had been killed days after his arrest.
A case was registered under FIR No. 139/96 in police station Saddar, Srinagar and a case for the past 15 years is pending in the CJM Court.
In 1997, the investigation by Jammu and Kashmir police Special Investigations Team (SIT) confirmed that Avtar Singh is the prime accused in the Andrabi’s murder case. The CJM issued an order in the same year which stated, “Passport of Avtar Singh should be impounded and his photographs should be published in print media.”

According to the California based news channel, Singh owns several trucks and lives in Selma, Fresno County in California, USA. An exclusive video interview by the news channel correspondent Corin Hoggard showed Singh at his home. During the interview the reporter asked Singh: “Are you the same Avtar Singh who is wanted in Kashmir for the murder of prominent Lawyer Jaleel Andrabi?”
To which Singh replied, “It is alleged.”
Singh also claimed that the Islamic militants and Al-Qaeda wanted to kill him. He claimed his battalion was nowhere near the place where Andrabi was kidnapped. But because of the allegations, he's afraid he's a wanted man -- not by the Indian government, but by al Qaeda.
"If I'm exposed on this, the Islamic militants, they're already looking for me," he told the news channel.