SRINAGAR, MAY 20: The authorities have ordered closure of all schools and colleges of Srinagar tomorrow on May 21.

The decision to close the said educational institutions has been taken as a precautionary measure in view of the protest shutdown and march calls given by the separatists.

KD NEWS SERVICE

SRINAGAR, May 20: A delegation of senior officers of the Government led by Baseer Khan, Divisional Commissioner Kashmir on Monday visited various areas of the city to take stock of developmental works, sanitation and traffic issues and face lifting of Srinagar City. Representatives of the KCC&I were also invited for identification of issues related to trade and commerce.

The spokesman said that Divisional Commissioner was accompanied by Various senior officers including Shahid Choudhary, Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar, Fayaz Ahmad, Chief Town Planner, Commissioner, Srinagar Municipal Corporation, Vice Chairman, SDA/LAWDA, Srinagar, Chief Engineer PWD (R&B)Kashmir, Chief Engineer PDD (EM&RE)Kashmir, Chief Engineer, PHE Kashmir, Chief Engineer, I&FC, Kashmir, Director, Food Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs, Kashmir, Senior Superintendent of Police, Traffic City Srinagar, Superintending Engineer, UEED, Srinagar, and Superintending Engineer, S&D, SMC Circle, Srinagar.

Nasir Hamid Khan, Senior Vice President, KCC&I  apprised the visiting officers about various pending issues requiring the attention of the administration. The Divisional Commissioner gave on spot directions for macadamization of parking areas and face lifting of the main shopping area of the Central Business District. The Representatives of Municipal Corporation and UEED were directed to complete the pending storm drain and sewage drain within a period of three weeks.

Hashmat Qazi, Chief Engineer PDD(EM&RE) informed the delegation that the present electricity infrastructure of multiple poles and wires is being drastically reduced by underground cabling and minimization of a number of poles.

With the view of regularization of parking, the Commissioner, Srinagar Municipal Corporation was directed to urgently finalise the installation of computerised parking ticket machines in areas already earmarked in the Central Business District.

The Delegation visited the Skewed Foot Bridge at Raj Bagh. The Divisional Commissioner directed the officials to prepare a feasibility report for the conversion of the Foot Bridge into Motorable one after going through all the directions of the Hon’ble High Court in this regard.

The Divisional Commissioner also visited the under-construction site of the Chamber House at Raj Bagh, Srinagar.

The Delegation also inspected the area near Amar Singh College and Youth Hostel. Several directions were issued for face lifting of the area construction of deep surface drain, making functional all street lights and plantation of trees and improvement of the landscape of the area.

Footpath, drainage, macadamization and electricity works along the Dal Lake were also taken stock of and necessary instructions issued at various places. The visit follows directions of the Hon’ble Governor for setting up of a structured mechanism for regular redressal of various pending issues and day to day problems.

KD NEWS SERVICE

SRINAGAR, May 20: Top leaders of the BJP-led NDA will meet over dinner on Tuesday with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah expected to be present, party sources said on Monday.

Bihar Chief Minister and JD(U) president Nitish Kumar, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray and Lok Janshakti Party head Ram Vilas Paswan are likely to attend the meeting, which will take place two days before the counting of votes for the Lok Sabha polls on May 23.

A meeting of key BJP leaders, including Union Ministers, is also scheduled to be held in the party headquarters before the dinner meeting with allies.

The BJP’s decision to host the dinner comes following the exit polls which have been unanimous in projecting another term for Modi.

Exit polls telecast by almost all major new channels have forecast that the BJP-led NDA will cross the majority mark of 272 in the 543-member Lok Sabha.

Polls have been held for 542 seats as the Election Commission had deferred the election for Vellore seat due to allegations of the use of money to influence the voting.

Several BJP leaders asserted on Monday that the party will get a majority on its own, repeating the unprecedented feat it achieved in 2014 by winning 282 seats. (AGENCIES)

SRINAGAR, MAY 20 : Lieutenant General Ranbir Singh, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Northern Command of the Indian Army on Monday said that almost 40 youth who have picked up arm in Kashmir  in 2019.

Lieutenant General Singh said while addressing the media said that “Local recruitment remains a matter of concern for all of us. Last year, we had 217 local youth who had picked up militancy. This year, the number has significantly reduced and as on date there is only 40 youth who have picked up arms”.

He added that realization is coming in the youth and people of Kashmir that we do not want to become fodder by the Pakistani agencies and various inimical elements, who want to promote terrorism and violence in the state of Jammu and Kashmir.

He added “I am sure with the help of all the stakeholders we will be able to arrest this trend in the times to come as we are doing now”.

Srinagar, May 20, : A family from Hazratbal Srinagar Monday demanded that besides the Informer, a BSF officer responsible for the disappearance and death of their loved one in 1992 should also be arrested without any delay. 

The fugitive Informer of BSF whom police identified as Azad Mir alias Asghar was recently arrested by Crime Branch Kashmir after 27 years from Muzafarpur Bihar.

   Police Station Nigeen had registered an FIR vide number 44/1992 under section 302, 344, 364,348, 201, 109, 102B RPC against one Azad Mir alias Asghar son of Muhammad Sultan, a resident of Nigeen Srinagar after a complaint was filed by one Fayaz Ahmed Bazaz of Hazratbal who in his complaint accused Azad Mir of killing his brother Sajad Ahmed with the help of Deputy Commandant 30 Battalion BSF DS Rathore. 

  BSF officer Rathor during a night raid picked up deceased Sajad Ahmed Bazaz on the instruction of their dreaded Informer Asghar on February 12, 1992, family told news agency. “The High Court taking cognizance of the petition filed by us appointed a Commissioner to investigate the case who held BSF officer DS Rathore responsible for custodial disappearance, however, despite the accused officer being identified by the aged father of the deceased son, the Home Ministry of India didn’t grant any sanction to prosecute DS Rathore.”

    The then SHO Police Station Nigeen issued a certificate to Ghulam Muhammad Bazaz, the father of slain Sajad Ahmed Bazaz confirming the arrest and subsequent disappearance of Sajad.

     When the accused fled from Kashmir the case was handed over to Crime Branch. The Crime Branch Kashmir too failed to nab the accused despite making hard efforts, however, recently it managed to arrest the absconder from Muzaffarpur Bihar. The accused was produced before the Court where on the directions of Court he was sent to Central Jail Srinagar.

   The family demanded that action should also be initiated against the BSF officer. They said that both BSF officer this dreaded informer are involved in many custodial disappearance cases. (CNS)