The Kashmir Pulse

SRINAGAR — In a shocking incident, a group of men along with their lawyer gathered in Srinagar's Press Enclave and held a protest against a woman alleging that the single woman married nearly a dozen men and ran away with their belongings including cash and gold.

At least six men, all claiming to be the husbands of the woman, staged a protest, stating that the woman married them one by one “under a well-planned strategy” and later ran away with cash, gold and other belongings.

Abid Zahoor Andrabi, the lawyer of the men duped by the woman, while talking to the news agency KNO, said: “I belong to district Budgam, and one of the grooms came to me nearly four months ago while claiming there is a woman hailing from Rajouri district, whom he was married to. He told me that the woman after a few days of the marriage ran away along with gold, cash and belongings.”

Andrabi said that his client had put Rs 2.5 lakh as Mehar besides gold and other stuff. “The woman fled just days after the marriage on the pretext that she was going to see a doctor at a hospital in Budgam district,” he said.

Within days, many men also came with the same complaint. "After listening to the men who seemed to have been duped by the same woman, I filed a case in court and the case was handed over to Munsif Court Budgam, who ordered the police to take action in this regard and lodge an FIR. The FIR was lodged under FIR number 64, 2023 under 420, and 120-B of IPC in Police Station Budgam,” he said.

Andrabi said that there seems to be a big inter-district gang involved in the act.

“I approached a matchmaker and he promised my marriage but I never knew I am falling into a trap. I was told that marriage will take place in Rajouri,” said Abdul Ahad Mir, a resident of Budgam.

“The matchmaker sought two lakh rupees from me. I was asked to reach Rajouri for marriage where my marriage was solemnised with the woman. Under the cover of darkness, the marriage took place. After a month of my marriage, my wife told me that she needs to visit the hospital for a check-up. I allowed her but she fled and never returned,” he alleged.

Other affected men said there seems to be a big network involved in the act and requested police to probe the case as the case seems high profile fake marriage gang that needs to be uncovered within the shortest possible time so that other families are saved.

SRINAGAR — A youth from north Kashmir’s Kupwara district has gone missing from Ludhiana city of the northern Indian state of Punjab.

Firdous Ahmed Peer, a resident of the Muqam Dardpora Kralpora area of Kupwara, went missing on February 17 this year and since then his whereabouts is unknown to his family.

The family members, including the mother and the sister of the missing youth, emerged in Press Enclave Srinagar to attract the attention of the media towards the matter.

“He was working in a hotel at Ludhiana where he had gone along with a friend from Anantnag. The hotel authorities informed us that Firdous is untraceable since February 17,” one of the relatives told the news agency KNT.

Another relative said that police in Ludhiana don’t take the issue seriously. “We repeatedly visited the police station in Ludhiana but the men in uniform are not giving serious heed and no efforts are being made to locate our missing relative,” he said.

The protesting family appealed to the Jammu & Kashmir Police and Kupwara district administration to take up the issue with the Punjab Police.

SRINAGAR — Scores of Jammu and Kashmir Services Selection Board (JKSSB) job aspirants gathered here in Press Enclave on Wednesday to protest against the purported grant of a contract to Aptech Limited for the conduct of various exams.

The protesters, as per the news agency GNS, demanded that the LG administration must investigate why paper leak and scam issues only occur in Kashmir.

“All blacklisted companies should be banned in Jammu and Kashmir. Until action is taken against these blacklisted companies, no student will sit for any competitive exams,” the protestors opined.

The protesters pointed out that Aptech Limited has been involved in numerous scams in other parts of the country including Rajasthan, Leh, Ambala, and others. “Many national papers have also highlighted these scams and nothing significant is being done to allay the apprehensions of the job aspirants,” they said.

The protesters demanded that the Lieutenant Governor administration should rise to the occasion and take necessary measures for the larger benefit of the youth of Jammu and Kashmir.

SRINAGAR — Scores of candidates, who have qualified the examination for the post of Finance Account Assistant (FAA), continued their protest for the 19th consecutive day on Monday against reports of scrapping of the selection list.

While raising slogans against the administration, the protesters gathered at the Press Enclave and held a sit-in protest and threatened to continue the protest unless their demands are met.

The protesters alleged that malpractices are marring the career of deserving candidates as they are being forced to pay the price of those who cheated.

Earlier, there were reports that the Jammu and Kashmir Service Selection Board (JKSSB) is cancelling the recruitment of Finance Account Assistants.

“Scrapping and re-examination is not a viable solution as this will demoralise the aspirants,” said one of the protestors.

The protesting candidates urged the LG-led administration to take note of what they see as “mismanagement” in the JKSSB.

SRINAGAR — The Family Welfare Association Employees protested today against the six-month delay in the payment of their salaries.

Employees from several districts gathered in the Press Enclave Srinagar and blocked the main road here to protest the authorities’ failure to release their monthly salaries on time.

They said that they are struggling to feed their families as their salaries have been withheld for the last six months. "We are working without pay, and as a result, our families are suffering badly. The authorities should be aware of this," they said.

They allege that they are unable to repay the bank loans, and that salary delays have put them in a tough situation. “We are unable to pay our children’s regular school and college expenses,” they explained.

"This is an injustice because we are continually working hard for the betterment of society. Our pay has been withheld and we are being forced to suffer on a daily basis. We worked as frontline workers throughout the epidemic, and instead of being recognized for our efforts, we have been sidelined," one of the female protestors said.

They warned the Lieutenant Governor-led administration to resolve their issue on a priority basis otherwise they will be left with no option other than going on hunger strike.

SRINAGAR — Non-professional journalists have been earning a bad name to Kashmir journalism every now and then. The mushroom growth of Facebook journalists, who are good at the noise, end up creating a people-friendly image for themselves at the cost of maligning image of professionals.

From a simple protest at the Press Colony to any law and order issue, these Facebook journalists (as they are called in local lingo) are always omnipresent. Even they can be seen in the press conferences, which are sometimes reserved. Unabashed and uncouth, most Facebook journos are semi-literate small-time go-betweens who try to earn quick bucks using journalism as a stepping stone.

A cursory study of these random journalists, who mostly camp on roads and pavements at the Press Enclave, reveals that most of them are operating Pages on Facebook. They have fancy names and post videos and happenings on their Pages.

Apart from poor content production, these Facebook reporters are increasingly resorting to emotive calls through their repetitive sob-stories on poor families. Some of the “incorrigible offenders” have already become self-styled cults, thriving on their cabal and coterie.

The Facebook journalists would publish emotionally-charged videos on their Facebook Pages and other social media accounts and collect funds for the poor families. But one such fundraising campaign has landed a few such Facebook journalists in the trouble.

There’s nothing wrong in pleading the cases of poor families, but the manner in which it is being done has become a medium business in Kashmir now. A case has come into the notice of this media-house where these self-styled reporters have misused the video of one of the families in Srinagar.

As per the sources, a destitute family was seeking financial help from the general public in February. Keeping the generosity of Kashmir alive, the family received a sufficient amount and accordingly, the case was closed. But after two months, the same video was again uploaded by these Facebook reporters but with a different account number. The family filed a complaint against the portal for “misuing” content for their personal benefits.

Accordingly, we tried to get the details of the case from the Police Station Safa Kadal. However, SHO asked us to get the details from station. “I cannot provide details of the case on phone. You can personally visit my office and collect the same,” he added.

A senior journalist from Srinagar said that these social media reporters are not accountable to anyone for their wrongdoings. The onus lies on the government to tackle these “Facebook journalists” giving a bad name to journalism.

“This sentimental and social media driven journalism is unfortunately wooing masses in Kashmir and has widened the gap, with people losing trust on the professional media houses,” he added.

The administration should find a way out of getting these portals registered so that the charity will reach needy people instead of these “thugs” who have left no stone unturned in ruining ethics of journalism by playing with the people's emotions.

It’s the need of the hour for media fraternity in the valley to make one voice to move forward and get united under one umbrella and fight against these “social-media journalists”.

“If anyone among the journalist community commits a crime, the entire fraternity is held responsible for it,” said a senior editor in the backdrop of the recent incident in which three media-affiliated persons were arrested for extortion in Kupwara.

“Although this phenomenon is not confined to Kashmir only, the government needs to keep a tab on it and should check the authenticity of these Facebook Pages before trusting them,” he added.

Pertinently, last year two renowned 'Facebook journalists' were arrested under FIR No. 145/2021 under Sections 384 (extortion), 385 (putting a person in fear of injury in order to commit extortion), 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation), 420 (cheating and dishonestly) and 120B of the IPC.

SRINAGAR — Daily-rated workers engaged in different government departments on Wednesday staged a massive protest demonstration in Srinagar, to seek regularization of their services.

The protest was organized under the banner of ‘Jammu and Kashmir Casual Labourers United Front’.

"We have been serving the departments for the past 14 years now. Despite all assurances and promises, we are still waiting for the regularization of our services," the protesters said.

Holding placards in their hands, the protestors raised pro-justice slogans. They urged the authorities to implement the Minimum Wages Act in Jammu and Kashmir.

They said they have been engaged under Rule 7 of SRO 64 after proper procedure and completion of all formalities.

The protestors said they have been working honestly to serve the departments. "Under rules, our services should have been regularized much earlier. The delay in this process is sheer injustice with us," they said.

Talking to media persons, President JKCLUF Imran Parrey said the demand for regularization of casual labourers, daily wagers and all types of temporary workers is a genuine one and the government should consider this demand.

Meanwhile, police detained a number of protesters after they tried to proceed towards the City centre from Press Enclave.