Srinagar
In Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, Indian troops continued massive cordon and search operations across the territory, subjecting the residents to torture and harassment.
The troops continued to carry out their violent operations in different areas of Srinagar, Badgam, Ganderbal, Kupwara, Bandipore, Baramulla, Shopian, Pulwama, Islamabad, Kulgam, Poonch, Kishtwar, Doda, Ramban and Rajouri. The residents of these areas told media that the Indian forces’ personnel barge into the residential houses, harass the inmates and vandalize the household goods. They said the troops have also arrested several youth from different areas during the past few days.
Meanwhile, the bodies of three labourers from Rajouri, who were killed in a fake encounter by Indian Army in Shopian in July, were exhumed and handed over to their families at Gantamulla in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district.
An official told media that the bodies of the three youth were exhumed and handed over to the families. Indian Army had killed the youth during a fake encounter in Amshipora area of Shopian on July 18 and passed them on as “unidentified militants”. However, the victims were later identified by their families through the pictures released by the Army as Imtiyaz Ahmed, Abrar Ahmed and Muhammad Ibrar from Rajouri, who had gone to the Kashmir Valley in search of work.
Senior Hurriyat leader, Ghulam Muhammad Khan Sopori, addressing a gathering in Srinagar said that the Kashmiri people would continue their ongoing freedom struggle till success, despite Indian state terrorism.
The Jammu and Kashmir Tehreek-e-Wahdat-e-Islami in a statement in Srinagar appreciated the Muslim Shia community of Kargil for refusing to align with Buddhist dominated Leh leadership regarding the present status of Ladakh and demanding restoration of the pre-August 05 status of the region.
Eight Kashmiri journalist organisations slamming the continuous vilification of the individuals representing the institution of media in a joint statement in Srinagar said that the media in the territory had paid a heavy price to stay neutral to the politics and objective to the facts. The statement was issued by Kashmir Editors Guild, Jammu and Kashmir Editors Forum, Kashmir Press Association, Kashmir Press Club, Kashmir Working Journalists Association, Jammu and Kashmir Working Journalist Association, Kashmir National Television Journalist Association and Kashmir Journalists Corps.
On the other hand, in a major setback to Bharatiya Janata Party in the ongoing elections to Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, Leh, the entire unit of Nyoma block resigned from the party in protest against denial of mandate to Ishey Spalzang who was nominated by the unit for the candidature of Councilor from Nyoma. On Thursday the entire unit of Chushul constituency in Leh showing their strong resentment against the selection of candidates quit BJP.—KMS
