Adil Akhzer
Twitter: @adilakhzer
Articles By Adil Akhzer
Schools in shuttered Valley re-open but parents fearful, kids stay away
On Monday, The Indian Express visited 13 schools in Srinagar - all in the city’s relatively peaceful Civil Lines area. Of these, 11 schools were locked while security guards at the two remaining schools said neither students nor the staff had arrived.
Landlines back in parts of Kashmir Valley, some movement curbs relaxed
Kashmir has been under an unprecedented communication blackout since August 5, the day the Centre moved to end the special status of the state.
In Valley, a separation
Clampdown in Kashmir came in post-Ramzan wedding season. Among those who have to wait now are Zubair Guroo and his bride.
Landlines from today, schools re-open next week: J&K says ‘gradual’ easing
“Keeping in view the evolving situation, as well as the cooperation of people in maintaining calm and peace, we are now taking measures to ease the restrictions in a gradual manner,” Subrahmanyam said.
J&K journalist detained in midnight raid in Valley, first since Article 370 diluted
Irfan Malik, who works for Greater Kashmir, the largest circulating English daily in Kashmir, was picked up from his home on Wednesday night. The journalist is a resident of Tral in district Pulwama.
Alert in Valley for I-Day, Governor will hoist Tricolour in Srinagar
Independence Day in Kashmir: “We are ready for the main function tomorrow. It will be held in Srinagar where the national flag will be hoisted by the Honourable Governor. In Jammu, the celebrations will be led by the Advisor to the Honourable Governor,” Principal Secretary Rohit Kansal said.
Amid restrictions in Jammu and Kashmir, chemists say medicine stocks running low
The restrictions have also made it difficult for residents to reach the shops that are open.
Fingers crossed for Eid in J&K: Some easing of lockdown but curfew back in Srinagar
Srinagar DM meets Imams, administration lists 300 phone booths, delivery of vegetables. Meanwhile, sources in the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said the government was assessing the situation and would gradually lift restrictions.
Curbs relaxed but markets gloomy, few customers for Eid in Kashmir
In Jammu, most people did not come out of their houses as they were not aware of the lifting of prohibitory orders, said local Muslim leader Zahoor Ahmed. There were less buyers at animal mandis set up on the outskirts of the city, he said.
Valley suffers news drought as Net, phones blocked, curfew passes not given to journalists
While local newspapers are forced to reduce the number of pages, Kashmir Press Club general secretary Ishfaq Tantray on Saturday appealed to the Press Council of India and international journalists’ associations to take up with the government the issue of this “media gag”.
Notes via TV, letters via strangers: cut-off Valley seeks news of families
With TV channels and newspaper reporters limited to a small perimeter in Srinagar, news from other parts of the Valley, both from north and south, and even peripheries of the city, is only trickling in through patients and their attendants travelling to Srinagar hospitals.
Under cover of night, ailing try to find way to Srinagar hospitals
The Shri Maharaja Hari Singh (SMHS) Hospital, usually packed with patients and attendants every night, now receives a trickle. Its corridors and wards are more or less empty and ambulances are stationed outside, in a row.
Jammu & Kashmir: Youth drowned trying to escape security forces, says family
According to residents, four persons were injured when security personnel stopped his funeral procession on Monday afternoon, and fired bullets and pellets.
Kashmir Valley has seen many a lockdown but why this time it is so different
The Kashmir Valley’s connection with the inside and the outside world has been cut — all internet connectivity, cellular, landline, and cable TV services have been snapped.
Indian Army offers Pakistan to retrieve bodies of intruders
On Saturday, the Army said that an attack by the BAT "on one of the forward posts in Keran sector" had been foiled, resulting "in neutralising of five to seven Pakistan regulars/ terrorists".
Srinagar hears midnight knock: Omar Abdullah, Mehbooba Mufti under arrest, internet snapped
While ruling out curfew, the order also said public meetings or rallies would be disallowed and there would be “no movement of public and all educational institutions shall also remain closed”.
Five attempts by Pakistan’s BAT on border posts, India hits back with Bofors
Top military sources told The Sunday Express that there were five BAT attempts on Indian military posts on the LoC in the past few days.
J&K: Classes suspended, hostels closed, hospitals tell staff to ‘be stationed’
Professor Rakesh Sehgal, director of NIT-Srinagar, said about 950 students living in the hostels had been sent home. “The administration gave instructions... We don’t take action on our own. I am in touch with the HRD ministry as well,” he said.
Imam Bara in Kargil opens doors — for homework, coaching
The Imam Bara, which until a few years ago was closed most of the time except for 10 days during Muharram, has now opened its doors to school students from Hardas who need the extra coaching, help with homework and often, go just to listen to some good stories.
In Kashmir Valley, tourism dept sends out buses to bring tourists back
At Pahalgam, assistant director of tourism, Pahalgam, Zahida Parveen said, “There were around 1,000 tourists here. Most of have them have left now. We are asking them to leave for Jammu instead of going to Srinagar.”
