Mukhtar Ahmad

Stories by Mukhtar Ahmad

Militants open fire at NC activist in Kashmir

Militants open fire at NC activist in Kashmir

Rediff.com   5 Feb 2011

Militants shot at and wounded an activist of the ruling National Conference in Koil village of south Kashmir's Pulwama district on Saturday evening.

Kashmir: Youth killed in army ambush

Kashmir: Youth killed in army ambush

Rediff.com   5 Feb 2011

A student was killed, allegedly during an ambush operation of the army, in north Kashmir's Kupwara district on Friday. Manzoor Ahmad Magray, 22, was allegedly shot dead by the troopers of 4 Para of the army, who had laid an ambush in Chogal area of Handwara town, 85 kms from Srinagar, in Kupwara district. The sources said the youth had ventured out during the night and the security forces challenged him. Magray failed to pay heed to the warning of the troopers.

Chidambaram in Kashmir on two-day visit

Chidambaram in Kashmir on two-day visit

Rediff.com   3 Feb 2011

The home minister's visit comes days after he praised state Chief Minister Omar Abdullah for his firm handling of the situation in the run up to the Republic Day

Sopore: Grenade attack days after sisters' deaths

Sopore: Grenade attack days after sisters' deaths

Rediff.com   2 Feb 2011

Two days after two sisters were gunned down, terrorists fired two grenades in north Kashmir's Sopore town on Wednesday morning. However, the explosions did not cause any damage, a senior police officer said.

Two sisters shot dead by militants in Kashmir

Two sisters shot dead by militants in Kashmir

Rediff.com   1 Feb 2011

Two sisters were shot dead by suspected Lashkar-e-Tayiba militants in north Kashmir's Sopore town on Monday evening.A senior police officer said the two sisters, Kulsooma, 19 and Yasmin, 17 had been forced out of their home at gunpoint by some unidentified gunmen."The two sisters were later shot at point blank range and their bodies were recovered some distance away from their home," the officer said.The incident triggered panic in the area.

GR Sofi to be Jammu and Kashmir's new CIC

GR Sofi to be Jammu and Kashmir's new CIC

Rediff.com   28 Jan 2011

The coveted chief information commissioner's post in Jammu and Kashmir went to GR Sofi, presently chief commissioner, Income Tax, Amritsar region. Sofi, an Indian Revenue Service officer of 1977 batch will retire shortly.

JK police detain separatists marching to Lal Chowk

JK police detain separatists marching to Lal Chowk

Rediff.com   26 Jan 2011

Three senior separatist leaders along with pro-independence Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front chairman Yasin Malik and their 13 supporters were detained by the state police on Wednesday as they tried to march towards Lal Chowk to hoist the party flag on clock tower.

Ahead of R-Day march, 6 BJP men held in Srinagar

Ahead of R-Day march, 6 BJP men held in Srinagar

Rediff.com   22 Jan 2011

Six Bharatiya Janata Party activists were arrested by the Jammu and Kashmir police in Srinagar on Saturday, four days ahead of the proposed flag hoisting by the party in city centre Lal Chowk.

Mirwaiz turns down JK interlocutor's talks offer

Mirwaiz turns down JK interlocutor's talks offer

Rediff.com   21 Jan 2011

Moderate All Parties Hurriyat Conference Chairman Mirwaiz Moulvi Umar Farooq on Friday confirmed that Dileep Padgaonkar, veteran journalist and one of the interlocutors appointed by the Centre for Kashmir, had called him for a meeting. "Dileep Padgaonkar called me on Thursday and requested a meeting, which I declined. I told Padgaonkar that it was our stand not to meet them as long as our demands are not met," the Mirwaiz said.

UN top official on human rights visits Srinagar

UN top official on human rights visits Srinagar

Rediff.com   19 Jan 2011

The United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Margaret Sekaggya met members of the local civil society and various human rights activists in Srinagar on Wednesday evening. Margaret arrived in Srinagar on Wednesday afternoon on a two day visit to Kashmir to 'asses the human rights situation in the Valley'. This is the first visit of the UN special rapporteur on human rights to Kashmir Valley after the outbreak of militant violence in 1990.

J&K govt may disallow BJP rally

J&K govt may disallow BJP rally

Rediff.com   19 Jan 2011

The Jammu and Kashmir government is likely to disallow the Bharatiya Janata Party yatra to Srinagar to hoist the national flag at Lal Chowk on Republic Day. Highly placed sources here said that the state government has decided to halt the yatra by the youth wing of the BJP in Jammu and not to allow it to proceed to Srinagar.

Kashmir police take steps to arrest stress

Kashmir police take steps to arrest stress

Rediff.com   16 Jan 2011

The Jammu and Kashmir police force is organising series of recreational activities for its personnel and their families to ease out the levels of stress and tension under which its officers and jawans have been discharging their duties over the past 20 years.

BJP hoisting flag to create trouble in J&K: Omar

BJP hoisting flag to create trouble in J&K: Omar

Rediff.com   13 Jan 2011

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday appealed the Bharatiya Janata Party 'not to create trouble and halt its yatra to Srinagar as the party will in no way be benefited by it'.

Northern Command chief visits Leh

Northern Command chief visits Leh

Rediff.com   12 Jan 2011

This was the first visit of Gen Parnaik to the forward areas in Ladakh region after taking over as the GOC Northern Command on January 1, according to a defence spokesman in Srinagar.

J&K students show better results despite unrest

J&K students show better results despite unrest

Rediff.com   11 Jan 2011

Jammu and Kashmir Education Minister, Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed said on Tuesday that 'the tireless efforts of the state government to open educational institutions and hold exams in time despite the Valley unrest have been vindicated by this year's results which have shown improvement over those of last year.'

Govt trying to trap youth to pick up arms: Geelani

Govt trying to trap youth to pick up arms: Geelani

Rediff.com   10 Jan 2011

Kashmir's hard-line separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani on Monday claimed the 'Jammu and Kashmir government was provoking the youth to again pick up arms through arrests and intimidation'.

Geelani promises peaceful protests

Geelani promises peaceful protests

Rediff.com   5 Jan 2011

Hard-line separatist leader, Syed Ali Shah Geelani on Wednesday said that 'henceforth his movement for troop withdrawal would be extremely peaceful'. "We will ensure that our peaceful movement for troop withdrawal continues. We will even avoid shouting provocative slogans." Geelani alleged that 'excessive force had been used during the five-month long summer unrest to push the people to take up arms'.

I will complete my term as CM, says Omar

I will complete my term as CM, says Omar

Rediff.com   5 Jan 2011

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday made it clear that he will complete his full term of five years, as per the agreement between the top leaders of the National Conference and the Congress.Addressing a media conference in Jammu, the CM said, "I, as the then president of National Conference and Sonia Gandhi, president of the Indian National Congress, discussed the issue threadbare and made it clear that there will be no rotational chief minister."

SHO, guard injured in terrorist attack in Srinagar

SHO, guard injured in terrorist attack in Srinagar

Rediff.com   4 Jan 2011

A station house officer and his bodyguard were shot at and injured by terrorists in the Batmaloo area of Srinagar on Tuesday evening.

Omar will continue as CM, says Cong minister

Omar will continue as CM, says Cong minister

Rediff.com   4 Jan 2011

In a statement, the state public health engineering minister, Taj Mohi-ud-Din on Monday said that 'the coalition government led by Omar Abdullah will continue its full term'.