India on Wednesday hit out at Pakistan and the OIC for raising the Kashmir issue at the UN Human Rights Commission and said the grouping has 'helplessly' allowed itself to be held 'hostage' by Islamabad.
Minister of State for Home G Kishan Reddy said stone-pelting incidents in the Union Territory have come down to 327 in 2020 from 2,009 in 2019 and the number of terrorists neutralised has gone up to 221 in 2020 from 157 the previous year.
Curfew was imposed on Friday morning in seven police station areas of Srinagar district as a precautionary measure, a police official said.
The results have been encouraging and "many prospective militants have been weaned away from terrorism," Lt Gen Raju said refusing to either divulge further details or numbers.
Protests broke out in some states on Friday, including Delhi's Jama Masjid and stone-petling at policemen in Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj and Saharanpur, over the controversial remarks on Prophet Muhammad by two now-suspended Bharatiya Janata Party functionaries with demonstrators in Jharkhand injuring a few policemen while authorities in Jammu imposed a curfew in few areas and parts of Kashmir observed a shutdown.
Terrorists have stepped up attacks in the Kashmir valley over the past week.
Normal life remained affected in Kashmir Valley for the 98th day due to the ongoing unrest.
The EC notification said the state administration apprehends that "violent attempts" can be made by miscreants to thwart the poll process.
For the first time in nearly two years, tourism has been on the rise in Kashmir. But what does that mean for the average Kashmiri, ponders Abhishek Mande Bhot after a recent visit to the Valley.
If the government is able to deliver the promised projects, the large number of youth will be taken off the streets and that is not acceptable to the Pakistan army nor the terrorists hiding in Pakistan, notes Brigadier Narender Kumar (retd).
'The larger narrative doing the rounds was anti-Hindu, anti-India.' 'Despite the affinity, one could feel the lurking hostility.'
While the government interlocutor for J&K may be tasked with holding talks with 'all stakeholders', the central government is singing a very different tune in the Supreme Court, Aditi Phadnis points out.
Terrorism has to be fought at its root of origination. Today we are just removing cobwebs but not killing the spider, asserts counter-insurgency expert Brigadier Narender Kumar (retd).
'Only 50-60 continued to remain behind bars and the rest were released'
Officials said the government has made necessary arrangements for opening of 190 primary schools in Srinagar city as security forces remained deployed in most of the Valley.
Curfew and restrictions continued in Kashmir for the 29th day after fresh clashes erupted in the Valley killing three men on Friday.
The processions stand banned in Kashmir since 1990 when armed insurgency began.
But why is everyone getting so het up over what, after all, is a mere film? If you don't like it, don't watch it. Why create a public spectacle over it? asks Virendra Kapoor.
Provisions of Article 370, which gave special status to the erstwhile state of J&K, were abrogated by the Centre on August 5 last year.
One of the most wanted terrorist, Mudasir Pandit, and a Pakistani ultra were among the three terrorist killed in an overnight encounter with security forces in the Sopore area of Jammu and Kashmir's Baramulla district, police said.
Basit Mukhtar was injured by a tear gas shell in clashes on September 5.
Christmas was celebrated across the country on Saturday, but the festivities were low-key for the second year in a row due to Covid, with churches and other events witnessing lower footfalls, people avoiding large get-togethers and the administration in some areas imposing certain curbs.
In a letter to the Jammu and Kashmir DGP, Abdul Rashid Shora said, "I am under a constant threat of life from my daughter Shehla Rashid Shora who is supported by the elder daughter namely Asma Rashid and my wife namely Zubaida Shora as well as her security guard namely Sakib Ahmad. This threat perception started in 2017 when Shehla jumped all of a sudden into Kashmir politics."
Three men have lost their lives and 70 others, including 40 policemen, have been injured in the violence that has erupted in different parts of Kashmir in the wake of the hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru.
Areas falling under the jurisdiction of 11 police stations Srinagar were also placed under curfew.
A government middle school in Shopian's Padarpora was set ablaze by unidentified people and on Sunday. The government high school in Pulwama was razed to the ground in a similar manner.
Curfew was lifted in most parts of Kashmir from Monday and it was completely withdrawn two days ago.
Mobile services were partially restored in the Valley which has been rocked by violence since July 8.
Alam had been under house arrest since Thursday evening.
The latest developments from the violence-hit valley.
Clashes were reported from a number of places in Srinagar city and parts of Budgam district but nobody was hurt in these incidents, police said.
The people in both places have lived in a state of denial, refusing to accept the bald fact that resorting to violence against an infinitely superior force is suicidal, observes T N Ninan.
Speaking for the first time after the government announced an halt to anti-militancy operations in the state during the holy month of Ramzan, the prime minister said there is no alternative to peace and stability.
How does it feel to be a doctor in Srinagar, as violence rages around you and there's a constant stream of patients being wheeled in?
The Jammu and Kashmir police have denied that Public Safety Act has been slapped on 12-year-old Faizan Bashir Sofi detained in connection with the Eid day violence that rocked the old city in Srinagar.
The United States has strongly condemned the terrorist attacks in Kashmir ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's poll rally, and said it remained firm on its "commitment" to work with India to defeat terrorism in all forms.
Despite being the MP from Lakhimpur, Teni is not actively involved in campaigning for the assembly polls as according to party insiders, the BJP does not want to risk its chances by using him.
On the situation in the Kashmir Valley, the army officials highlighted Wednesday evening's incident when a son of a prominent eatery owner was shot and critically wounded by terrorists at his shop in a high-security area of the city.
Here are the latest updates from the Valley.
The separatists have extended the shutdown programme till September 16.
