The Kashmir Pulse

SRINAGAR — Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah on Wednesday expressed strong opposition to the power project agreement with Rajasthan, denouncing it as a “loot” of the region.

As per the news agency KNO, speaking at a press conference held at the party headquarters here, Omar voiced his concerns regarding the power project being handed over to Rajasthan for a 40-year period. He said such an arrangement, where the generation from hydroelectric power projects is directed to another region, will not be tolerated.

“While we are chosen first for the installation of smart meters, our hydroelectric power projects’ generation is directed to Rajasthan. We will not permit this, even if it requires taking the issue to the Supreme Court,” Abdullah declared.

The NC vice president said that for the first time, he is witnessing an electric power agreement spanning 40 years. “Once assembly elections are conducted here, we will ensure that the electric power project remains within Jammu & Kashmir,” he added.

Omar also addressed the review petition filed in the Supreme Court regarding the Article 370 verdict, saying that discussions on aligning with the petitioners would be deliberated upon.

Expressing disappointment, he highlighted the government's reluctance to hold elections in Jammu & Kashmir and expressed disappointment that the Supreme Court had to intervene in the matter.

“It is unfortunate that the Supreme Court had to intervene in the assembly polls in J&K. The Election Commission of India must feel ashamed of it,” he remarked.

Responding to queries about attending the inauguration of the Ram temple, the former CM said his name was not on the list of invitees. “My name is not on that list. Where is the question of my choice to attend the inauguration?” he asked.

Regarding the possibility of his candidacy in the Parliamentary elections, Omar clarified that no discussions had taken place yet, and the party leadership would deliberate on fielding the best candidate for Parliamentary elections from J&K. “For me, (NC chief and his father) Farooq Abdullah contests first,” he asserted.

Addressing the Maldives row, Omar criticised some Maldivian ministers for their inappropriate remarks against the Indian Prime Minister, terming their statements as wrong.

SRINAGAR — The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Wednesday morning carried out raids at 12 locations in different places in Delhi and Rajasthan as part of an investigation into the allotment of civil works of Kiru hydroelectric project.

An official told news agency KNO that the CBI is carrying out raids at the residences of Sunak Bali, Varinder Singh Rana, Kanwar Singh Rana and a few others in Delhi and Rajasthan as part of a probe in allotment of Rs 2200 crore civil works of Kiru hydel project.

“Sunak Bali would frequently visit Raj Bhavan during Satya Pal Malik’s stint as J&K Governor. As per Malik, Bali was not on the payroll of the government, but was his press advisor,” they said, adding that Varinder Singh Rana was the Private Secretary of Malik.

VS Rana was not a government employee, but was being paid from the exchequer of J&K Government after being engaged as Private Secretary by Malik, sources disclosed.

According to sources, Kanwar Singh Rana was also hired by Malik but he would mostly stay in Delhi. Kanwar Singh Rana and Varinder Singh Rana are relatives, they said.

The CBI official said that the raids are being carried out to collect further evidence in the case.

SRINAGAR — A young apiarist from Kashmir Valley died in the western State of India due to a snake bite, family sources of the deceased said on Friday.

The victim Shakir Ahmed Wani son of Gul Muhammad Wani, a resident of Chewawular Tral Sub-Division of south Kashmir’s Pulwama district, was a beekeeper running a honey bee farm in Rajasthan.

One of the family members, while confirming the death of 17-year-old youth, told the news agency KNT that he was bitten by a deadly snake on his farm on Thursday.

The victim was undergoing treatment in a hospital in Rajasthan where he died on Friday morning. His body will be airlifted to his native village for the last rites.

RAJOURI — The death toll from the August 11 militant attack on an Army camp in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir rose to seven after a Havaldar, who was undergoing treatment, succumbed to his injuries, officials said.

Two militants and four soldiers including Subedar Rajendra Prasad, Rifleman Manoj Kumar, Rifleman Lakshmanan D, and Rifleman Nishant Malik were killed in the Palghar Rajouri attack.

Officials said that Havaldar Satya Pal, a resident of Rajasthan, succumbed to his injuries after undergoing treatment for 13 days at Udhampur Military Hospital. With the death of the soldier, the toll in the attack has reached seven including five soldiers.

Northern Army commander, Lt Gen Upendra Dwivedi, and other senior officers paid their last respects to Havaldar Singh at a wreath-laying ceremony in Udhampur.

Kashmir Road Accident: One more ITBP man succumbs, toll 8

One more ITBP man injured in a road accident in Kashmir has succumbed to his injuries. The death toll has reached eight with the demise of 51-year old Nandan Singh.

Pertinently, at least seven ITBP jawans were killed and 32 others, including two cops, injured after their vehicle fell into a gorge in south Kashmir on August 16. The incident took place in Frisal area of Pahalgam in Anantnag district.

The jawans were deputed in the area for Amarnath Yatra. The bus en-route to Pahalgam from Chandanwari was carrying 37 ITBP personnel and two local policemen.

Six ITBP personnel had died on the spot. One succumbed while being taken to a hospital and today one more man succumbed to his injuries. The condition of four men is still stated to critical.

SRINAGAR — Three students who had purportedly gone missing two days before from frontier north Kashmir’s Kupwara district are currently at Jaipur in Rajasthan, said one of the youth’s cousins.

“We received a call today morning from them wherein they informed themselves to be at Jaipur,” the family member said.

“When inquired about how come they reached there, they said that they were picked up by some unknown Bolero driver, who they said, drove them to the unknown place of which they come to know after enquiring the people,” he said, adding they have informed us that they currently at Police Station Sanganer Jaipur.

“We have brought the matter to the notice of police here and we have been assured that a police team will be accompanying us to ferry them back home,” he said.

Pertinently, the trio namely Irfan Mushtaq Wani son of Mushtaq Ahmad Wani of Kawari Kupwara, Nasir Fayaz Dar son of Fayaz Ahmad Dar of Woskura Handwara and Bilal Ahmad Dar son of Mohammad Amin of Kawari Kupwara had gone missing on Tuesday last, following which the families lodged a missing report at Police Station Hatmulla.

The families had also appealed to Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and SSP Kupwara to intervene and see that they return home without any harm.

KULGAM — A Bank Manager of Elaqahi Dehati Bank, Branch Kulgam, was shot dead in the southern district of Kashmir on Thursday.

An official told the news agency Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that a Bank manager of Elaqahi Dehati Bank was fired upon by militants when he was on duty at Arreh Mohanpora Branch in Kulgam.

The injured, identified as Vijay Kumar of Rajasthan, was immediately shifted to the hospital for treatment. An official from District Hospital Kulgam said that he was brought dead to the hospital.

Officials told KNO that the slain Bank manager was married in February this year and was staying with his wife. The killing of the Bank manager came a few days after militants shot dead a female government teacher Rajni Bala outside a school in Gopalpora, Kulgam.

Interestingly, the CCTV footage, wherein a shooter shooting at the Bank manager, has gone viral on social media. A police spokesman said that militants shot dead the Bank employee in a gruesome “terror attack in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district.”

Senior police officers along with reinforcement reached the crime spot. “Officers attending the crime spot learnt that, at about 11:00 AM, militants had indiscriminately fired upon Manager of Ellaquai Dehati Bank identified as Vijay Kumar son of Om Prakash, resident of Hanumangarh Rajasthan, at Areh Mohanpora in Kulgam District. In this incident, he had received critical gunshot injuries and was immediately evacuated to hospital for the treatment of his injuries however, he succumbed to his injuries,” the spokesman said.

He said that the Police have registered a case in this regard under relevant sections of law. “Investigation is in progress and officers continue to work to establish the circumstances which lead to this terror crime. Area has been cordoned off and search in the area is going on,” the spokesman said.

He said that IGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar along with DIG SKR Anantnag and DIG CRPF visited Kulgam district where he held meeting with Police and security forces officers. “The IGP Kashmir reviewed security scenario and instructed field officers to conduct surprise joint area domination in the day and night, to identify militant involved in today’s terror crime and neutralise him at the earliest,” the statement said, adding that “the IGP also directed to identify the militant associates who have been harbouring militants and arrest them on a priority basis.”

Meanwhile, former Chief Minister and vice president NC Omar Abdullah while condemning the act said that condoning death is becoming a mind-numbingly regular thing.

"So very sorry to hear about the targeted killing of Vijay Kumar. Tweeting to condemn an attack & condole a death are becoming a mind-numbingly regular thing. It’s heartbreaking to see families destroyed like this." tweeted Omar.

Former Chief Minister and PDP president Mehbooba Mufti also condemned the killing. "Condemn yet another targeted killing today of Vijay Kumar, a bank manager working in Kulgam. Heartfelt condolences to his family. May his soul rest in peace," tweeted Mehbooba Mufti.

"Yet again extremely sad news coming in. An innocent civilian working as a manager in a bank in Kulgam has been shot dead. Am at a loss of words to express my condemnation for such heinous acts. May the family have the courage to bear this loss. May the deceased rest in peace," JKPC President Sajad Lone tweeted.

"It’s distressing to learn about the killing of a bank manager in Kulgam. Indeed a very sad situation where innocent civilians are being targeted. My heart goes out to the family of the deceased and I pray for immense strength for the bereaved family to bear this loss," Apni Party President Altaf Bukhari tweeted.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Thursday said that the NDA government has failed to restore peace in Kashmir. While condemning the attack on Rajasthan resident in Kulgam, he said that the Government of India must ensure the safety of citizens in Kashmir.

"The militant killing of bank manager Vijay Kumar, a resident of Hanumangarh, Rajasthan, working in Kulgam, J&K is highly condemnable. NDA Govt has failed to restore peace in Kashmir. Central Govt should ensure the safety of citizens in Kashmir," tweeted Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot.