Hurriyat Conference (G) chairman, Syed Ali Geelani has wholeheartedly thanked all those people who visited his ancestral village Duro to pay homage to his son-in-law late Gh Hassan Makhdoomi.

He said despite heavy showers and cold chilly weather, thousands of people mostly from adjoining areas participated in the last rites of the deceased.

According to a statement issued to GNS, Hurriyat (G) chairman thanked the leaders of the organizations especially Jamaat-e-Islami, Tehreek-e-Hurriyat, Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front, Awami Action Committee, Anjuman-e-Share Shian, Muslim League, People’s League, Bar Association, Anjuman Moien-ul-Islam Sopore, Muslim Conference, Civil Society, all constituent parties of Hurriyat Conference and other political, religious, social and other organizations who travelled from far flung areas to condole and console the bereaved family.

He also thanked the all political, religious, social, print and electronic media personalities, lawyers, doctors, columnists, businessmen, neighbours and other personalities who came to Hyderpora and offered their condolences to him. He also thanked Pakistani High Commissioner in Delhi and other international dignities and non-resident Kashmiris living abroad who telephonically condoled the demise of his son-in-law.

Geelani thanked all women participants who despite their personal and domestic engagements took all the pains to reach the residence of his daughter. He also thanked the people especially youth who “enthusiastically and very warmly receive me after a long gap of about 8 years and showed their commitment and resolve to the freedom struggle. Their affection and love was unparalleled”.

Meanwhile, Hurriyat Conference (G) held a peaceful protest after congregational Friday prayers at various places across valley against the NIA charge sheet against incarcerated chairperson of Dukhtran-e-Millat Syeda Aasiya Andrabi and her two associates, Naheeda Nasreen and Fehmida Sofi and yet another detention under PSA of Hurriyat leader Masarat Aalam Bhat.

Hurriyat (G) said that the leadership and large number of people held peaceful protests in Hyderpora Srinagar, Anchar Soura and Gurpora Suzaith.

“Putting political leaders and activists including women in jails on fabricated charges and slapping Public Safety Act (PSA) repeatedly on political activists to prolong their incarceration is nothing but travesty of justice and democracy,” Hurriyat leaders according to statement said.

They also condemned the plight of prisoners at the hands of jail authorities and saluted the resolve of prisoners.

Hurriyat (G) leaders also condemned the slapping of yet another PSA on Masarat Aalam Bhat.

Hurriyat (G) made a fervent appeal to the United Nations Human Rights Commission and all other human rights organizations of the world to take a serious note of the “gross violations of human rights” at the hands of Indian forces in Jammu and Kashmir, especially with reference to prisoners of conscience, the statement said.

It may sound bizarre but that is exactly what has happened in Mendhar area of Poonch district in Jammu and Kashmir. A youth presumed dead nearly six months ago walked back home on Friday.

Muhammad Muzamil went missing from his home in Qasab village in Mendhar area six months ago. Soon there was an accident and the government railway police found a semi-decomposed body on the rail tracks in Vijaypur area of Jammu on March 9, following which Muzamil’s family mistakenly claimed it.

The family after completion of formalities gave a proper burial to the body as per Islamic ritual.

However, to the utter surprise of the ‘bereaved’ family, Muzamil called up his mother a few days ago. Finally, he returned home.

“Police has since recorded the statements of the family and the youth to set the records straight,” the sources said.

The identity of the dead person who was given the burial was not known.

Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner Poonch Rahul Yadav has ordered the exhumation of the body of the unknown male person who was buried at village Ari, Tehsil Mendhar.

The DC passed the order underlining that the matter is of serious concern and needs further investigation to find out the facts by DNA profiling of the deceased.

“The chief medical officer, Poonch shall also appoint a team of experts for the purpose of DNA profiling,” he said.

Tarif Hussain Shah, Naib Tehsildar Mendhar (Executive Magistrate), a 1st class, has been appointed as a magistrate for the purpose of carrying exhumation and DNA profiling.

“The deceased body shall thereafter be reburied,” the order added.

In a significant development, chairman State Human Rights Commission (Rtd) Justice Bilal Nazki today issued notices almost all leading private schools of Kashmir asking them to file the detailed compliance report before the commission within two weeks as to what procedure they are following during the admission process and whether poor and downtrodden are given their due share.

The SHRC direction comes in response to the petition filed by the Chairman International Forum for Justice and Human Rights Muhammad Ahsan Untoo under case SHRC/395/SGR/2018. The petitioner has also urged the commission to ask the heads of all the leading private schools of Kashmir to divulge whether they have installed heating gadgets for the students in their respective schools.

The notices have been sent to schools that include Convent, Biscoe, Mallinson, G D Goenka, DPS Athwajan, Iqbal Memorial and others.

The petitioner has urged the Commission to seek the details of the admission procedure followed by these schools and whether poor and downtrodden are being given admission in these schools as per the Supreme Court guidelines. The petitioner said that there are allegations that these schools fleece the parents on the pretext of heating arrangements but it has come to fore that many such schools lack heating facilities for the students.

The petitioner has also urged the commission to go for the on-spot inspection of the admission procedure followed by these elite schools and the role of brokers who mint money from parents to get admission of their wards done.

An 18-year old youth was abducted and later shot dead by unknown gunmen at Niklora area of south Kashmir’s Pulwama district on late Thursday evening.

Reports reaching GNS said that the unknown gunmen abducted the youth, Nadeem Manzoor Dar (18), from his home at Safanagri village in Shopian. Nadeem’s body was later found at Niklora village in neighbouring Pulwama district, they said.

Confirming the incident, SSP Pulwama Chandan Kohli said that the Bullet-ridden body of the slain Manzoor was recovered from the area and taken to nearby by hospital for conducting medico legal formalities, he said.

Soon after the incident government forces launched massive searches in the area to nab the suspected militants, he said.

Another police officer said that a case under relevant sections of law has been registered in concerned police station and further investigations taken up in this regard.

Meanwhile, reports said that one more civilian shahid Ahmad Dar (25)son of Abdul Rahim Dar of Safnagri village went missing and his whereabouts were unknown when this report was filed.

People of Tanghdar village in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district have called clerics to perform rituals to ward off the ghosts which they believe are behind the sudden fires in the vicinity.

Sudden fires since past several days in Sheikh Mohalla of Khandi area in Tandghar have also left the administration perplexed.

According to reports, fires started all of a sudden in at least four heaps of grass kept by the villagers in open. There have been sudden fires in rooftops of some houses too. Besides, some cowsheds have been completely gutted.

The houses which have suffered partial damage include that of Abdul Gafoor, Abdul Hameed Sheikh, Farooq Ahmad Sheikh, Mohammad Iqbal Sheikh and Khursheed Sheikh, the locals said.

Locals said they invited several clerics for a special ceremonial ritual in the village.

“We have been told that there are numerous ghosts in the village who are behind these fires,” a local said.

“We have conducted an elaborate religious ritual in this regard,” he added.

Faced with the situation, the administration has kept fire tenders in the village to douse off the flames as and when they emerge.

“We are puzzled. Despite putting best efforts, we are not able to figure out how these fires take place,” SDM Mohammad Ilyas told GNS.

A scooty rider died while as his pillion injured in a road mishap at Hamadar area of Hayhama in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district on Thursday evening.

A police officer told that the scooty rider Nadeem Ahmad Khan (25) son of Nayeem Ahmad Khan of Manzhar and his pillion Waheed Ahmad Khan (26) son of Mohd Akbar Khan of Hamadar were injured after a load carrier vehicle (JK09A- 5091) hit the scooty (JK09A- 8613) at Hamadar, Hayhama.

Both the injured were taken to Sub-district hospital Kupwara where Nadeem succumbed to injuries.

The condition of the Waheed is said to be stable, he said.

In this regard, a case under relevant sections of law has been registered and further investigations taken up, the officer added.

SDM Bijbehara administers oath of office to the president Municipal Committee Bijbehera, Shaheena Nida and vice president Avtar Krishnan Raina in the office chambers of Municipal Committee Bijbehara, today.

While talking to media, president Municipal Committee Bijbehara, Shaheena Nida said she will work for the development of Bijbehara being historical town.

Vice President Municipal Committee Bijebhera, Avtar Krishnan said we will support president in all developmental programs.

Present on the occasion were Ex.off Municipal Committee Bijbehara Ab.Rashid Teeli, senior Congress leader Mohd Abdullah Nadaf, Iqbal Ahamed and others.

Jamaat-e-Islami Jammu and Kashmir Ameer Dr Abdul Hamid Fayaz on Thursday met Hurriyat Conference (G) chairman Syed Ali Geelani at his residence at Hyderpora Srinagar.

The Ameer-e-Jamaat also accompanied by other members of the organization expressed sympathy with the octogenarian leader over the demise of his son-in-law.

A spokesperson of Jamaat in a statement said that the delegation met the veteran leader and expressed condolences on the death of his son-in-law Ghulam Hassan Makhdoomi, who died in SKIMS on Tuesday night.

He said that the delegation comprised of Faheem Mohammad Ramzan (Secretary General), Nazir Ahmad Rana (Guidance Bureau head), Advocate Zahid Ali (Political Bureau head) and Reyaz Ahmad Nadvi (Secretary to Amir-e-Jama’at).

The delegation also enquired about the health condition of the veteran leader and prayed for the eternal peace of the deceased Makhdoomi.