A 1.29 minutes video posted on YouTube shows soldiers instead of pulling a person out of the rubble shooting him to death at point blank. Details of the post suggest the poor quality video was recorded on July 8, 2011 and the descriptions term the incident a war crime. It shows a man waving his hand, apparently seeking help from under the debris of a house that was blasted. As the soldiers sitting around heard cries of help, they removed part of the debris and could see a man crying. One of them shouts that the man is bearded and another apparently orders fire. Within seconds the voice is silenced. That day, police records suggested the police and army had killed two militants after 20-hours of gunfight – Javid Nengroo and Ehsan Bhai. Army has not challenged the veracity of the video and claimed the crying man – Ehsan Bhai, a Pakistani was actually carrying a grenade in his hand.

JAMMU
In a gaffe, that could pass as a miracle a few decades back, a newly born baby that was declared ‘dead’ at Shri Maharaja Gulab Singh (SMGS) Hospital in Jammu turned alive while the family was on way to lay the baby to rest. Bashir Ahmad, a Gool resident’s wife Jaha Begum underwent surgery and delivered. Doctors informed the family that baby could not be saved and handed over a towel wrapped infant to them. After two hours, the family was on way to Gujjar Nagar cemetery for burying the baby when they noticed  the baby breathing. The baby is alive and kicking.

SRINAGAR

Last week, police caught two news photographers – Showkat Shafi and a foreigner, and freed them after severe torture. While the incident informally conveyed a police imposed restrictions on working in the old city, this was not the very first incident of its kind. For last many weeks, the news photographers are again at the receiving end. As the police enforce its writ, the news persons are unnecessarily becoming the targets. There were condemnations worldwide for attacking the messenger. The Srinagar-based media persons last week had a symbolic sit-in at the press colony to highlight the crisis they are confronted with. Officials have conveyed they would end the crisis well before it spills over on the streets. Wait and watch.

DODA
They were classmates. Lokesh Kumar Kotwal and Hyka Ali Rishu of Bhaderwah were in love. Last week, they, as usual attended their classes and after the class work was over, they decided to end their lives and died together. In Malothi area, they consumed poison jointly. While the girl died instantly, the boy was declared dead in the hospital. Police is investigating why the two decided to die. Had they tried to marry and failed?

MUMBAI

Kashmiri photographer and journalist, Showkat Nanda, currently assistant editor at Kashmir Life, bagged the Media Foundation of India’s ‘Best Picture of the Year Award’. Maharashtra Governor K Sankaranarayanan presented him the award at a glittering function last week in Mumbai. He also bagged two other prizes in the General News Category Awards as well. His award-winning photograph was the portrayal of three sisters who were widowed during the ongoing conflict in Kashmir.

MAHORE

Last week, a group of Hizb ul Mujahideen militants surrendered in Kulgam led by Mohammad Rafiq alias Basharat, one of the most active militants in Reasi belt for a long time. Of many things that he revealed during interrogation, one revelation was very important. He admitted of kidnapping two Rehbar-e-Taleem (ReT) teacher brothers and killing them in hollow of a tree in Ranji forests in Gulabgarh on June 4, 2007. Residents of Avdesh in Mahore, two brothers – Bashir and Mohiuddin, were sons of Jamaal Din. Police took Basharat to the jungle and recovered the two skeletons. Now DNA fingerprinting is on way to establish the identity conclusively.

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