The Kashmir Pulse

PULWAMA — Two men were arrested in Pulwama on charges of eve teasing and molestation following a swift action by Pulwama Police in response to a complaint lodged by a woman.

The incident, reported at Police Station Pulwama, resulted in the registration of a case under FIR No. 132/24 under section 75(1) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

The accused, Shahid Bilal Bhat, son of Bilal Ahmad Bhat of Pinglena, and Shayan Rasool, son of Ghulam Rasool Reshi of Dugam Kakapora, were promptly taken into custody.

Police authorities are actively investigating the case to collect all necessary evidence and ensure justice for the victim.

Meanwhile, Pulwama Police has reaffirmed its commitment to public safety and zero-tolerance stance towards such crimes.

PULWAMA — In a remarkable display of quick thinking and expertise, personnel from the Pulwama Police and CRPF sprang into action to save a man's life in Kakapora Pulwama. The young man, seated behind the wheel of his car, suffered a cardiac arrest, sending shockwaves through the bystanders.

With the car doors locked, time was of the essence. Acting swiftly, the police and CRPF personnel wasted no time and began administering CPR (Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation) through the partially open window. Amidst the chaos, the determined rescuers also managed to provide aspirin to the stricken individual, further aiding his chances of survival.

The entire incident, captured on video, later circulated across various social media platforms, drawing widespread attention and admiration for the heroic efforts of the uniformed men. Netizens flooded the internet with messages of gratitude, acknowledging the invaluable role played by the Pulwama Police and CRPF in preserving a precious life.

Following the successful administration of CPR, the man was promptly transported to a nearby hospital for further medical attention.

This incident serves as a testament to the vital importance of CPR training as an emergency response and a crucial life-saving technique that can make all the difference.

By rapidly compressing the chest and providing artificial ventilation, CPR helps to maintain blood flow and oxygenation to vital organs, particularly the brain, when someone's heart has stopped beating. This intervention buys valuable time until professional medical help arrives, significantly improving the chances of survival following cardiac arrest or other life-threatening events.

SRINAGAR — A 16-year-old girl was rescued after she jumped into the River Jhelum in Kakapora area of southern Kashmir's Pulwama district on Wednesday.

According to official sources cited by a local news agency, the girl attempted suicide by leaping into the river. Prompt action by local residents and law enforcement officers led to her rescue.

The authorities, including the police, swiftly responded to the incident and retrieved the girl from the water. She was subsequently rushed to the Primary Health Centre (PHC) in Kakapora for medical attention. Reports suggest her condition is stable.

Police have initiated an investigation into the matter. Further details are awaited as the authorities continue to examine the circumstances surrounding the incident.

PULWAMA — A severe water crisis has engulfed the Kashmir region, triggered by an extended dry winter spell that has severely impacted its water sources, prompting officials to raise urgent alarms about the area's water supply.

The water level of Kashmir's primary river, the Jhelum, has plummeted to an unprecedented low, registering a mere 0.75 feet at the Sangam gauge. The once picturesque view of the river now appears starkly desolate, with sections of the riverbed dry and cracked – a sight never witnessed before. The alarming situation has sparked concerns about the future availability of water in the region.

Sanjeev Malhotra, Chief Engineer of the Jal Shakti Department, voiced his apprehension over the dwindling water levels, stating that the water supply is insufficient at the water sources, and they are unable to provide drinking water to their full capacity.

He underscored the impact of schemes relying on the Jhelum, elucidating, "We are digging small trenches to ensure that water is available for the pumps to lift and later for distribution."

Key water bodies supplying drinking water to a vast population, including Sukhnag, Kal Nag, and Dachigam, have experienced reduced discharge, exacerbating the crisis. Experts depict the situation as unprecedented and unavoidable, emphasizing the critical need for rain to replenish these water sources.

The Jal Shakti Department is managing the situation so far and has been dispatching water tankers to areas where the need is felt. However, officials from the department sounded alarm that the situation could deteriorate if the dry weather persists.

It is in place to mention here that the Valley has been under the grip of a prolonged dry spell with minimal snowfall this winter, resulting in a 79% deficit in December 2023 and a 100% deficit in January 2024.

Mukhtar Ahmad, Director of the Meteorological Department, attributed the abnormal weather patterns to the El Niño phenomenon, leading to a dry Himalayan region.

As per his analysis, the prolonged presence of El Niño, persisting for the last two months, is a major contributing factor to the ongoing dry spell. He cites the absence of western disturbances as a primary cause, with no significant relief anticipated in the near future.

Highlighting global atmospheric pressure shifts, he notes that such dry spells are witnessed in intervals of two to three years or even five years.

While a feeble Western disturbance is expected from January 15 to 16, offering slight relief, however, dry weather is predicted until January 20. MeT suggested a potential change after January 25, with various weather models indicating the possibility of rain or snow.

Meanwhile, the region remains on edge, anxiously awaiting relief from the prolonged water crisis.

PULWAMA — Even after a lapse of four years, a vital bridge in Dogam area of Kakapora block in Pulwama district is awaiting completion.

The residents of the area said that work on the bridge was started around four years ago but has not been completed fully as of now, causing inconvenience to people. They said completion of the bridge will connect dozens of villages with each other and help them to reach Awantipora, Srinagar and Pulwama in less time.

“Around 90 percent of the work on the bridge has been already completed but pending work isn't being done due to unknown reasons,” a local, Sameer Ahmad, told the news agency KNO.

He added, “Our school-going children had to take longer routes to reach schools due to the incomplete bridge. With the completion of the bridge, they will reach school within minutes only.”

They requested higher-ups, especially DC Pulwama, to look into the matter and complete the work at the earliest.

An official said that the bridge is almost complete and only minor work is pending. He said that the bridge will be thrown open to the public very shortly.

SRINAGAR — The Special Investigation Unit of Kashmir Police is conducting searches at Kakapora area of south Kashmir’s Pulwama district on Monday morning.

Official sources told the news agency GNS that searches are underway at Kakapora in the house of Ab Aziz Dar son of Ghulam Mohd Dar.

Ab Aziz is the father of active LeT commander Reyaz Ahmad Dar, who has been active for eight years and is believed to be one of the oldest surviving militants.

The searches are conducted in connection with case FIR No. 239/2022 of Police Station Pulwama, they said.

PULWAMA — A 65-year-old man from Kakapora hamlet of south Kashmir's Pulwama district is known for fishing out human bodies from rivers and other waterbodies, especially those who commit suicide by jumping into rivers.

Abdul Salam Dar, a resident of Kakapora, has been roped in as an expert to Sopore to fish out the body of a girl who had jumped in Jhelum around a week before.

Dar, while talking to the news agency KNO, said that so far he has fished out 44 human bodies from river Jhelum at different spots in the last three decades and his efforts are to retrieve the 45th body. "I have been doing this work for the last 30 years and have retrieved bodies at Sangam, Anantnag, Bijbehara, Pampore, Athwajan, Srinagar, and other parts of Kashmir," he said.

He added, "Around 30 years ago, a boy from our locality had drowned in river Jhelum and when everyone failed, I went there and fished out his body. Since then, this work has been going on and every year, I have been fishing out bodies whether it is local or non-local."

Asked what kind of technique he is using to fish out the bodies, he said, “I have no tools but it is just Almighty’s blessing on me. I start with the name of Allah and He helps me."

"Instead of using boats and other things, I am going into the water myself with a rope and long wood to fish out the bodies and so far whenever I have gone into the water to fish out the body, I have succeeded,” he went on to state.

About Sopore incident where the body of a girl, who committed suicide, continues to remain untraced, he said that it is a very difficult operation as Jhelum is very wide there besides the depth is around 50-60 feet and water is flowing very fast.

He said it seems the body isn't lying there as the water is flowing with good speed at Sopore and it might have stuck below Sopore. However, he said efforts are on to find out the body.

He claims that during the 2014 floods, he managed to rescue around 18 persons including some non-locals who were trapped in the water.

Notably, Salam's name was suggested on social media as an expert who can fish out the body of the Sopore girl who had jumped into Jhelum eight days ago and since then, efforts are on fish out her body.

SOPORE — As the body of Sopore teenage girl remained undetectable even after seven days, a 64-year-old expert has been roped in from south Kashmir’s Pulwama district.

An official told the news agency KNO that the search operation to trace the body of teenage girl, who jumped in the river Jhelum in Sopore town, entered seventh day today.

He said even after seven days, the body of girl remains untraceable with rescue teams including SDRF, local fishermen and WUCMA putting in hectic efforts.

He said now authorities have sought help from an expert from south Kashmir. “Abdul Salam Dar (64), who hails from Kakapora area of Pulwama has expertise in fishing out bodies from across the Kashmir Valley,” he said.

Notably, Salam claims to have saved 18 lives and have fished out at least 40 bodies from the various water bodies across the Kashmir Valley.

The official said Salam's expertise came into the limelight soon after social media users started commenting his name on posts about the Sopore incident.

Talking to KNO, Salam said he will put in his best efforts in helping to trace out the body of the teenage girl.

PULWAMA — The Government Middle School in Pulwama’s Kakapora is operating out of three rooms, causing immense hardships to students as well as teachers.

Residents of the area told the news agency KNO that the building of the school got damaged in the 2014 floods following which an NGO constructed two makeshift rooms. They said that now the two rooms have been bifurcated into four small rooms and two to three classes are being held there while the fourth one has been turned into a kitchen meant for mid-day meals.

They said that the school was upgraded to an upper primary school in 2004 but the government has failed to enhance the infrastructure of the school.

Fayaz Ahmad, a local resident, said that about 90 students are admitted to the school from primary to Class 8th and all the students are cramped in three rooms.

Residents said that the school has no playground or other facilities for students to participate in extracurricular activities. Students said that they are not able to concentrate on their studies as classes are bifurcated by plywood sheets.

Locals said that they have informed authorities time and again that state land is available in the area where the government can construct the new building.

An official of the Education department acknowledged that state land is available and a demarcation process has been started. He said that a new building for the school will come up soon.

PULWAMA — Pulwama Police on Saturday organized an awareness rally under the banner of “Prevention of Drug Addiction”.

The rally was attended by students and staff members of three schools - UPS Marval, UPS Sethar and Government High School Khadermoh.

Over 300 students from the three schools participated in the programme. Besides the school students, Station House Officer (SHO) Kakapora and other respectables of the Kakapora area participated in the rally.

The rally passed through various areas in the Kakapora Block in a bid to create awareness about the ill effects of drug abuse and its consequences.

Students were holding banners and placards in their hands with messages against substance abuse and raised slogans against social evil and pledged to join their hands to eradicate this menace from society.

SHO Kakapora on the occasion appealed to the general public to join hands with Pulwama Police in curbing the abuse of drugs and related substances to eliminate this social evil from society.

The participants thanked Kakapora Police for conducting such awareness rallies and making its contribution to spreading awareness about the menace of drugs.

SRINAGAR — Two days ago, Sarpanchs, several Panchayat members and locals held a demonstration outside the office of BDO Kakapora in district Pulwama against the unavailability of the concerned BDO.

Protesters, while alleging that the unavailability of BDO has brought all the developmental works to a complete halt, warned that if transparency is not brought into the Block, they will have to take legal action against the BDO.

The President of the Sarpanch Association said that after fixing the time for the meeting, nine Sarpanchs of Block Kakapora, including one Master, appeared here in Block Kakapora, but the BDO was not present there.

On being contacted by Mushtaq Ahmad, the reporter of news agency CNS, BDO Gulzar Teli hung up the phone in an unethical manner, saying that he knows what kind of news agency CNS is.

“When I tried to make BDO fully aware of the displeasure expressed by the Sarpanch Association and get an absolute explanation from him, I contacted him again. However, he hung up the phone, saying that it was a wrong number,” Mushtaq said.

Meanwhile, BDO Kakapora, Gulzar Teli while trying to mislead the district administration by issuing a false statement, also tried to bring down the image of the news agency CNS, which has been working tirelessly in adverse conditions in Jammu and Kashmir for the past 30 years.

President of Sarpanch Association Kakapora, Ghulam Hassan Pandit, said that he stands by his statement and demands that the irresponsible statement of BDO be taken seriously, in which he made the Panchayat community scapegoat and also tried to attack the structure of the news organization.

They also condemned the flattering statement of BDO and demanded that the district administration must take their demands seriously.

It is pertinent to mention here that two days ago, the news agency CNS published a news report of Sarpanch Association Kakapora from Block Kakapora in which it was stated that while trying to get BDO’s quote regarding the matter, he humiliated CNS correspondent instead of giving a reasonable answer.

Many political and social organizations in the valley have also expressed their anger over this issue.

Senior AAP leader condemns BDO Kakapora's behaviour

Political activist and senior Aam Aadmi Party leader Bashir Kakpori has expressed anger over the unprofessional behaviour of Block Development Officer Kakapora towards a news agency CNS's correspondent.

In his video statement, Bashir Kakpori has termed the attitude of BDO Gulzar Teli towards the reporter totally unprofessional.

"The concerned BDO is reluctant towards his official work and has been always in news for creating hindrances in the development works of the area," Kakpori added.

Meanwhile, Kakpori has urged LG Manoj Sinha and the district administration to take serious note of the attitude of the officer towards the correspondent.

PULWAMA — Three labourers were killed after a wall collapsed at a brick kiln in Kakapora area of south Kashmir’s Pulwama district.

Police sources, according to news agency KNT, said that the incident occurred in Ukhoo village.

Police sources said that a wall of a brick kiln collapsed suddenly and three non-local workers came under it. They said that all three workers died on the spot.

The deceased have been identified as Lukman Khan son of Muhammad Suleman Khan, Raj Dev son of Devinder Kumar and Kalbe Khan son of Nawab Ali, all natives of Uttar Pradesh state.

After the incident, police rushed to the spot and registered a case under relevant sections of law.

SRINAGAR — A Railway Protection Force (RPF) officer, who was injured on Monday in a militant attack in the Kakapora area of south Kashmir’s Pulwama district, has succumbed to his injuries at SHMS Hospital in Srinagar.

Official sources told news agency Kashmir Dot Com (KDC) that the Sub Inspector of Railway Protection Force identified as Dev Raj who was injured in the Pulwama attack has succumbed to his injuries this morning. “He was treated in the ICU Ward 17 of SMHS, today he lost the battle of life,” they said.

Pertinently, two cops of the Railway Protection Force were injured on Monday evening after militants attacked them in Kakapora area in southern Kashmir.

Both the injured personnel were shifted to a nearby hospital for treatment, where HC Surinder Kumar succumbed to his injuries.

Police had already registered a case in this regard and further investigation is going on.

PULWAMA — A Railway Protection Force personnel was killed while another was injured in a militant attack in Kakapora area of south Kashmir’s Pulwama district on Monday.

A top police officer told GNS that two cops of Railway Protection Force were injured after militants attacked them at Kakapora.

Both the injured personnel were shifted to a nearby hospital for treatment, where one of them succumbed to his injuries.

Meanwhile, the whole area has been cordoned off to nab the attackers, the police officer added.

SRINAGAR — An ancient sculpture, dating back to 9th Century, was recovered from river Jehlum in Kakapora area of Pulwama district on Wednesday.

An official told the news agency Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that some labourers were extracting sand in river Jehleum in Lelhara Kakapora area of Pulwama district and they found an ancient sculpture from the river.

He said that after finding the sculpture, they contacted the local police who rushed to the spot and took the sculpture into their possession.

“The sculpture made of black and green colour was later handed over to the Department of Archives, Archaeology and Museums of Jammu and Kashmir,” they said.

Deputy Director, Department of Archives, Archaeology and Museums of Jammu and Kashmir, Mushtaq Ahmad told KNO that it is a three-headed Vaishno and a unique sculpture of the 9th century.

“It is a green stone sculpture which is very rare and its art is highly decorated but few parts are missing,” he said.