Sumbal, July 06, : A drug de-addiction program was organized by a human rights organization namely “International Human Rights Organization” at Sumbal, Bandipora.

ASP Sumbal, Ajaz Ahmed was chief guest at the function.  Students from different schools of Sonawari, teachers, members of civil society, prominent journalists from the area and members of different voluntary organizations participated in the program.

The participants highlighted the negative impact of drug use over the addicts in general and society in particular.

They urged upon the society to be vigilant against drug peddling in their respective localities and emphasized the need to keep an eye on the activities of children by the parents, so that they don’t fall prey to drug menace.

Some drug addicts and children with special needs also attended the program.

Srinagar, Jul 06 : Inspector General of Police (IGP) Crime, Syed Ahfadul said that the heroin addiction in Jammu and Kashmir was increasing, stating that the government was putting every effort to curb the menace.

Talking to news agency, IGP Crime said there are two important things in it; one is the demand of heroin while another is its supply.

“It is a vicious circle and we are focusing to curb both including its demand as well as its supply,” Mujtaba said, adding that the heroin was seized at various places so far by the police in its campaign against the drug abuse.

He added that besides heroin, the poppy cultivation at various places was destroyed.

“Police has also opened its drug addiction centre. The drug addicts are basically ill and we need to treat them carefully. These addicts are getting medicines, besides counseling session and religious session beings held for them,” he said, adding that these drug addicts are being pushed towards the sports.

He added that people must cooperate with the police in this regard, saying that if they have any information in this regard then they should immediately inform the police. (KNS) 

Ishtyaq Ahmad

Srinagar, Jul 06 : As blame game has been started over the growing incidents of road accidents, nothing is being done on the ground to tackle such incidents.

The government has been blaming drivers for driving speedy vehicles while the people have been holding the authorities responsible for not taking any measures for tackling such incidents. Amid this nothing is being done on the ground to prevent such incidents.

As per Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Jammu and Kashmir ranks second across India in the tally of road accidents per 10,000 vehicles with an average of over 900 deaths every year in the last five years.

The Chenab Valley in Jammu region with tough terrain has witnessed a steep increase in the accidents over the past few years. As many as 35 people lost their lives on Monday after a minibus skidded off the road and plunged into a deep gorge in Kishtwar district.

In another accident, at least 11 students were killed and seven others injured when a Tempo they were travelling in crashed after plummeting around 500 feet down a gorge along the mountainous Mughal road in Shopian district.

As per the official figures, during 2018, 984 people lost their lives in 5978 road accidents. The road accidents claimed 926, 958, 917 lives during 2017 and 2016, and 2015, respectively.

For last one decade, the government made tall claims to prevent such incidents. However, the government’s announcements have been confined to papers only.

The government, in 2015, had set up a ‘Lead Agency’ to act as the nodal agency to coordinate all activities relating to the road safety in the state.

The government last year also introduced the Jammu and Kashmir Road Safety Council Act, 2018, that advocated the formation of a State Road Safety Council.

According to the bill, the proposed council would give advice to the state government regarding transport safety measures.

In April 2012, a committee headed by M Y Tarigami submitted a report to the government.

It had come up with a slew of recommendations for the transport, traffic department, R&B, and other departments for curbing the growing road accidents.

It had found increase in the number of vehicles, narrow and faulty roads, negligent driving, and ageing vehicles among the reasons for growing accidents in J&K.

An official of Transport Department told that all these announcements have been confined to papers only. “The government has also announced implementation of action master plan for curbing on road accidents. All these decisions are yet to be implemented,” the official said. (KNS)

Srinagar, Jul 6:As part of its succession planning, J&K Bank today announced the appointment of Rajni Saraf as the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of the bank.

“Pursuant to Regulation 30 of SEBI (Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2015, the Board of Directors of the Bank has appointed Mrs. Rajni Saraf as Chief Financial Officer of the Bank…”, the bank said in a regulatory filing.

Having experience of more than three decades in the banking industry, Saraf currently heads the Supervision and Control Division of the bank and will now oversee its financial operations that include investments, capital structure, income and expenses of the bank.

New Delhi: In a first of its kind development, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has been questioning the editor-in-chief of a prominent daily from Kashmir, Greater Kashmir, for over a week about some of the articles published in his newspaper.

The editor is being questioned about pieces that appeared in his newspaper during the agitation in 2016 after Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani was killed in an encounter, PTI quoted officials as saying.

Though the news agency refrained from identifying the newspaper or the editor by name, The Wire can report that the editor concerned is Fayaz Kaloo.

He was also reportedly asked about his trips abroad, including to Dubai.

The NIA’s exertions are linked to a wider case related to the funding of separatist organisations in Jammu and Kashmir – a key person arrested in this regard is businessman Zahoor Watali – though it is not clear why the anti-terror agency should show interest in the editorial content of a newspaper.

A well known media and business personality, Kaloo is the president of the Kashmir Editors Guild.

Earlier, the general manager of Greater Kashmir was summoned and questioned by the NIA.

The NIA has also summoned Anees-ul-Islam, grandson of separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani, to appear before it on July 9. (The Wire)

Handwara, July 06 : Police on Saturday claimed to have arrested a drug peddler in north Kashmir’s Handwara town of Kuypwara district.

A police officer in a statement issued to Kashmir Despatch said that “Officers at a checkpoint established at Bypass Crossing Handwara arrested a drug peddler who has been taken to Police Station Handwara where he remains in custody. Contraband substance Brown Sugar has been seized by the officers from his possession.”

Statement reads that a case FIR No. 173/2019 under relevant sections of law has been registered and investigation initiated in the matter.

Police statement further reads, while making the arrest of the said drug peddler, three persons attacked the police party with stones to facilitate the escape of drug peddler from police custody. “Among them, two have been arrested while as third person identified as Javaid Ahmed Mir resident of Sadargund Handwara escaped from the spot.”

In this regard, a case FIR No. 174/2019 under relevant sections of law has been registered and investigation has been taken up statement reads.