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Archives for October 2018

Kashmir shutdown today over death of 7 civilians at encounter site in Kulgam

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Separatists in the Kashmir valley have called for a strike today over the death of civilians in a blast at an encounter site in Kulgam district.

The strike has been called by separatists Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Mohammad Yasin Malik under the banner of Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL).

According to reports, all schools and colleges in Kashmir will remain shut today and exams have been postponed. Train services have also been suspended in the Valley.

Three militants were killed Sunday in an encounter with security forces in Kulgam district, while seven civilians lost their lives in a blast following the gunfight there.

The Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) and a Kashmiri Pandit organisation have extended their support to the strike called by the separatists. “In an emergency meeting held on Sunday, the executive committee of the Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry expressed its shock and concern at the sharp increase in the use of brutal force against the unarmed civilians of Kashmir,” a statement by the KCCI said.

Condemning the killings, the KCCI said the business community of Kashmir once again urges the government to “restrain from launching operations in civilian areas which invariably trigger more killings and worsening of the law and order situation”.

“The seemingly endless loss of innocent Kashmiri lives is a matter of pain and anguish for all of us. The KCCI offers its deepest condolences to the families of innocent unarmed civilians and requests the business community to observe a complete shutdown on Monday as a mark of protest against the brutalisation of our population,” it said in a statement.

The Kashmiri Pandit Sangarash Samiti (KPSS) also extended its support to the strike called by the separatists, saying it is mandatory for security forces to sanitise the area where encounter takes place to safeguard the lives of the civilians.

“We feel the pain of killing of civilians and injuries during cordon and search operation in Kulgam,” KPSS president Sanjay Tickoo said in a statement.

“It seems that the security forces take these basic things casually, which resulted in Sunday’s incident. While Kashmir is being pushed back to the 1990 era by people’s alienating policies by the political parties, the Central establishment is enjoying the so called victory in the Kashmir valley and is not bothered to diffuse current political turmoil in the valley,” he said.

Ians

Sinha holds local administration responsible for Amritsar train tragedy

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Union Minister of State for Railways Manoj Sinha on Sunday held the local administration responsible for the Amritsar tragedy in which 59 people were crushed to death by a train while watching the burning of the Dusshera effigy.

“Had the local administration been cautious, the incident would have been avoided. The Railways was not informed about the Dusshera ceremony. Had they informed us, we could have taken measures,” he told reporters.

Sinha was responding to a query over the incident at Joda Phatak when the passenger train heading to Hoshiarpur from Amritsar came hurtling down.

He said: “The incident should not be politicized.”

Sinha, who laid the foundation stone of projects and inaugurated developmental schemes at various stations between Varanasi and Buxar, also said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has changed not just the political culture, but also the work culture.

He said that due to the special interest of the Prime Minister, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh are getting more attention towards development of railways and its infrastructure projects.

“The investment in railways has been tripled from Rs 48,000 crore to Rs 1.48 lakh crore,” he said.

On the occasion, Sinha announced various projects worth Rs 32 crore including introduction of a new MEMU train from next month between Buxar and Varanasi.

He laid foundation stone for various projects at Dheena, Dildarnagar, Gahmar and other stations.

IANS

Man held for killing wife over her alleged affair

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A man was on Sunday arrested on the charge of killing his wife, police said.

Kamil suspected Reshma, 22, to be in an extra-marital affair, and strangled her to death after an argument.

Kamil, a resident of central Delhi’s Kamla Market, walked into the police station and informed the officers that he had killed his wife after a fight.

“A police team visited Kamil’s residence and found the body of her wife, identified as Reshma, 22, lying on the mattress. Her face had turned bluish. Kamil was later arrested,” Deputy Commissioner of Police Mandeep Singh Randhawa said.

During interrogation, he revealed that he suspected Reshma’s character and thought she was involved in an extra-marital affair. Kamil used to have frequent fights with Reshma over the issue, the police officer said.

“Following an argument between the husband and the wife on Saturday, Kamil strangled her to death.

He was, however, filled with remorse after Reshma had died, the officer added.

IANS

India congratulates Afghan people for voting

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India on Sunday congratulated the people of Afghanistan for exercising their democratic rights in that country’s parliamentary elections in the face of terror threats.

“India congratulates the people of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan for exercising their democratic rights at parliamentary elections held today,” the External Affairs Ministry said in a statement.

“The enthusiastic participation of people, including women, despite terrorist violence is testament of resilience of the people of Afghanistan,” it stated.

“It reflects their desire and faith in democratic governance and rejection of the evil forces that foment and spread terror and violence.”

According to the statement, the National Unity Government of Afghanistan, the country’s Independent Election Commission (IEC) and the security forces “deserve appreciation for creating enabling environment and organising these elections despite numerous challenges”.

“We hope that these elections would contribute to strengthening of democratic institutions and deepen inclusive democratic system in Afghanistan,” it said.

“India supports the people of Afghanistan in their efforts to build a peaceful, stable, united, inclusive and prosperous nation.”

More than three million voters have cast their ballot in Afghanistan’s parliamentary elections that were held amidst terror threats, the IEC said on Sunday.

In the elections, high turnouts were reported in Kabul, Herat, Daykundi and Nangarhar provinces while the lowest turnout was reported in Uruzgan province.

The elections covered 32 out of the country’s 34 provinces. More than 2,500 candidates are contesting for the 249-seat lower house of parliament for a five-year term.

On Saturday, 27 people, including 11 security personnel, were killed and 100 others injured, according to the Afghan government.

IANS

Woman gang-raped in West Bengal, 2 held

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A woman was allegedly gang-raped brutally in a secluded area in West Bengal’s Jalpaiguri district, police said on Sunday.

“The homemaker of Madhyapara area was alone when two persons, Parimal Rai and Ratnu Munda, took her away and raped her on Saturday night. Today we received a complaint and based on the victim’s statement we arrested both of them,” a police officer of Dhupguri police station said.

The woman in her late twenties was admitted to the local hospital with severe injuries.

The police officer said there are reports that the victims was subjected to severe atrocities. “The investigation is going on,” he added.

IANS

400 petrol pumps in Delhi shut as dealers go on strike

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A total of 400 petrol pumps, many with CNG dispensing units, began a day-long strike on Monday in protest against Delhi government’s refusal to reduce VAT on fuels.

The Delhi Petrol Dealers Association (DPDA) said the Delhi government’s inaction was hampering their business as the neighbouring states of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh were attracting more consumers after slashing their fuel prices.

Criticising the Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party government’s refusal to address the VAT issue making fuel prices costlier in the city, the DPDA said it would also increase pollution in the National Capital Region as the quality of fuel sold in the peripheral states was inferior in quality.

The difference in prices has led to sharp drop of up to 50 to 60 per cent in sale of diesel in Delhi and 25 per cent in petrol in this quarter, DPDA President Nischal Singhania said.

Urging the Delhi government to immediately save the livelihood of employees and owners of petrol pumps of Delhi and check the state’s revenue loss, the petrol dealers body in its statement said commuters must be encouraged to buy Euro VI fuel that is sold in the capital as against Euro V in the adjoining states.

IANS

UP MLC’s wife arrested for killing son

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Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council chairman Ramesh Yadav’s wife Meera Yadav was on Monday arrested for killing her 23-year-old son Abhijit Yadav, police said.

She was detained late on Sunday for interrogation, during which she broke down and accepted strangulating her own son.

Abhijt Yadav was found dead in the official Darulshafa legislators flat on Sunday. Preliminary reports called it a “cardiac arrest”.

Meera Yadav told family members and neighbours that her son had come back drunk late on Saturday. He was restless through the night. She had applied soothing balm on his chest when he complained of pain on his left arm.

He never woke up, she told neighbours.

The son’s body was on its way to the cremation ground when the police intervened after some family friends alleged foul play.

Lucknow’s Senior Superintendent of Police Kalanidhi Naithani ordered an autopsy which confirmed “strangulation” as the cause of death.

Meera Yadav, who is the second wife of Ramesh Yadav, also kept changing her accounts of the tragedy which spiked police suspicion.

Sarvesh Mishra, superintendent of police (SP-East) said the accused told the police that her drunk son misbehaved with her. In a fit of rage, Meera Yadav then strangulated him.

The MLC’s wife had quit her job at the state Tourism Department not long back. She was living at the Darulshafa flat with her two sons Abhishek and Abhijit.

IANS

Pakistan reopens Afghan border crossing

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Pakistan has reopened the friendship gate at the Afghan border in Chaman, resuming trade activities, Nato supplies and transit trade between the two countries, the media reported on Monday.

Pakistan had closed the border at Chaman and Torkham on Friday in connection with parliamentary elections in Afghanistan that had suspended trade activities in the border town Chaman and Spin Boldak, reports Dawn news.

Hundreds of trucks carrying Nato supplies and transit trade goods crossed into Afghanistan after reopening of the border on Sunday.

Pakistan had closed the border soon after the Kandahar Police chief, the governor and intelligence chief of Kandahar and a cameraman were killed in the firing in the Governor House.

IANS

Rae Bareli posters call Priyanka ’emotional blackmailer’

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Hundreds of posters terming Priyanka Gandhi Vadra an “emotional blackmailer” were seen on Monday in Rae Bareli, the parliamentary constituency of her mother and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi.

The posters which literally cropped up all around the Uttar Pradesh town overnight, showed her as “missing”, and said while many tragedies struck the constituency since her last visit, Vadra has not bothered to reach out to the people in the Congress borough where she is seen as her mother’s heir.

In a reference to her last minute visits to Rae Bareli during successive polls and trying to pitch in for her mother by striking the emotional chord of the relationship of the Gandhis with the area, the posters also called her an “emotional blackmailer”.

They said Vadra plays with the sentiments of the Rae Bareli people only to garner votes.

Carrying pictures of Congress President Rahul Gandhi’s sibling the posters also asked her when would she visit Rae Bareli next.

These posters have been plastered on walls on major thoroughfares, markets, public places like Tripula square and Hardaspur.

They questioned her absence after major train accidents, including at Harchandpur, and the NTPC blast in Unchahar.

They posed queries whether she would be present in her mothers constituency on Eid since she has not turned up on Hindu festivals like Navratri, Durga Puja and Dusshehra.

Congress leaders and workers called the posters yet another “dirty trick” by opponents who were petrified by the “comeback prospects of the Gandhis and the party to power in 2019 (after the Lok Sabha polls)”.

District Congress chief V.K. Shukla said the party will give a befitting reply to such slandering. For now they would ask the district administration to act against people involved in putting up the posters, Shukla said.

IANS

UN’s global war on drugs a failure: Report

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The UN’s drug strategy of the past 10 years has been a failure, according to a report by the International Drug Policy Consortium (IDPC), which has called for a major rethinking of global policy on illegal narcotics.

The report released on Sunday claimed that UN efforts to eliminate the illegal drug market by 2019 through a “war on drugs” approach has had scant effect on global supply while having negative effects on health, human rights, security and development, CNN reported.

According to the report, drug-related deaths have increased by 145 per cent over the last decade, with more than 71,000 overdose deaths in the US in 2017 alone.

At least 3,940 people were executed for drug offenses around the world over the last 10 years, while drug crackdowns in the Philippines resulted in around 27,000 extrajudicial killings.

The IDPC, a network of 177 national and international NGOs concerned with drug policy and drug abuse, is urging the UN General Assembly Special Session on Drugs to consider a different approach to narcotics strategy for the next 10 years in the run-up to a March 2019 summit in Vienna, Austria.

“This report is another nail in the coffin for the war on drugs,” said Ann Fordham, the Executive Director of IDPC, in a statement.

“The fact that governments and the UN do not see fit to properly evaluate the disastrous impact of the last ten years of drug policy is depressingly unsurprising.”

The UN was not immediately available for comment on the report, reports CNN.

In 2017, Mexico, for example, recorded its most murderous year on record due to soaring levels of drug-related violence.

As previously reported by CNN, the Mexican National Institute of Statistics and Geography revealed that there were 31,174 homicides over the course of the year — an increase of 27 per cent over 2016.

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