CHENNAI

Major-killed-in-ShopianIndhu Rebecca Varghese, the widow of Major Mukund Vardarajan who died in a deadly encounter with militants in Shopian has used poetry to pay tributes to him. Describing him as she knew him in their more than four years of marriage, Indhu wrote on her facebook page: “One day I will meet him/ I know this for sure/ And he will give me that warm strong hug of his/I know this for sure…” A recruit of 22 Rajputana Regiment, Mukund, a son of retired banker, was posted to 44 RR, almost a year ago. Mukund was a journalism post graduate.

EIDGAH

This past election, Eidgah’s NC lawmaker was reported to have held his house in a couple of polling stations. In one case, he had the reason to go, to cast his own vote. But in the next two polling stations, he was found sitting for more than two hours each. Accompanied by around a score of his followers, the Speaker of the JK assembly was photographed in one station carrying the voter list. Returning Officer denied the allegations in the news conference the day Srinagar polled slightly more than 11%. By midnight the photo was published. Who cares!

DELHI

Anil-Goswami-Justice TS Thakur of the Supreme Court has written to the Chief Justice objecting to the proposed appointment of Anil Goswami’s advocate wife Neeru Goswami’s as a judge in J&K High Court. He has cited her lack of professional competence, private practice and experience in handling civil and criminal matters to underline her unsuitability for the position. Two other judges have cited improper efforts by Goswami and his father in law to influence the appointment. Even a cabinet minister has rung up SC judges. Goswami is India’s home secretary since July 2013 and was Sushil Kumar Shinde’s “personal choice”. A minister could get him to North Block but he may not be able help his wife.

NEW YORK

Kashmir-SapphireAt Sotheby’s in London, a 28.18-carat square emerald-cut Kashmir sapphire was sold for record $5.1 million. It means $180,731 per carat which is a world auction record of a price per carat of a sapphire. The untreated gem on a ring is framed by 32 tapered baguette diamonds with a mounting by Oscar Heyman & Brothers. It is described by the American Gemological Laboratories as ‘a gem of singular importance.’ The proceeds of the sale will go toward charity, according to Sotheby. Gary Schuler, head of Sotheby’s Jewelry Department in New York had stated that stone’s exceptional quality and deep color was enough to take it to historic heights.

DUBAI

Not many people might be remembering Nasir Shafi Mir, the carpet dealer from Lal Bazaar who was arrested for money laundering to a few select separatists. He was out on parole in 2008 and he jumped the bail, never to be seen again. Now Delhi’s special money laundering court has ordered freezing of Rs 55 lakh cash that was recovered from him. The seizure was made by Delhi Police Special Cell in 2006 and now it has been given to the Enforcement Directorate (ED). In India, this is the first case in which the cash recovery has been frozen.

RAFIABAD

In the last few years, he has earned many aliases and is being known as “NCs finger man” and a “loudspeaker”. But Akbar Lone is unstoppable. His latest: he slapped Mohammad Amin, a young man who was trying to seek the attention of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah when the latter drew to Watergam for seeking votes. Amin was not getting the loan reimbursed for his upcoming water plant. In the incentive came a slap. Lone apologized later!

KANGAN

Women-outside-a-Polling-booth-in-KashmirEver since, elections marked the introduction of democracy in Kashmir, the men in Kashmir’s mini-Afghanistan (Gotlibagh belt) have not  been permitting women to participate. But this time, long queues were seen. For this wind of change, Pashtun males said it was not education of their girls alone that was responsible but the desperation of a 10,000 strong ethnic group to have their rights. They wanted an end of discrimination and that is why the men encouraged women to get into an otherwise male-domain!

In the last fiscal ending March 2014, SMHS hospital’s Anti-Rabbies Clinic received 6051 dog-bite cases.

 

For holding elections in Srinagar, police arrested nearly 1300 people, deployed 241 companies of CRPF for polling duty, 50 companies of CRPF to tackle stone throwers, 15 battalions JKAP to maintain law and order.

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