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Chetan Chauhan dies of Covid-19

New Delhi (NVI): Chetan Chauhan, former Indian opener and Uttar Pradesh Cabinet Minister passed away today at the age of 73 while battling Covid-19.

Chauhan tested positive in July and was put on ventilator but succumbed to the virus after his health deteriorated, affecting kidneys and causing blood pressure problems.

Initially, he was admitted at SGPGI in Lucknow, and later moved to Gurugram’s Medanta hospital.

Chauhan represented India in 40 Tests and seven ODIs in an international career that spanned around 12 years. After his playing days, he took on various roles in the sport, as manager of the team as well as an administrator with the DDCA.

-ARK

People throng shrines in Kashmir as religious places reopen after 5 months

Abid Bashir

Srinagar (NVI): Shrines across Kashmir, especially Srinagar, witnessed hustle and bustle, long queues of devotees wearing masks today as authorities re-opened all religious places in J&K after a gap of over five months.

These places were closed as per the Centre’s advisory in the wake of the Covid-19 outbreak that has claimed over 550 lives in the UT and affected almost 30,000 people so far.

The famous Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine atop Trikuta hills in Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir also witnessed devotees turning up in large numbers to pay obeisance.

Srinagar houses at least over 200 shrines, 50 of them revered, especially the one at Hazratbal area of the city which houses the holy relic of Prophet Muhammad.

On Friday, the J&K government announced the re-opening of religious places including shrines, mosques, temples and gurdwaras across the UT with strict protocols that include wearing of masks, maintaining social distance and using hand sanitizers frequently. The government announced that the use of the Aarogya Setu App was mandatory at the religious places in Kashmir.

“Touching statues, idols or holy books will not be permitted,” the fresh guidelines by the J&K government read. “Any deviation from SOPs shall attract penal action under the Disaster Management Act, 2005.”

Farooq Ahmed, a 70-year-old resident of old Srinagar visited the shrine of Sufi saint Hazrat Sultanul Arifeen Sheikh Hamzah Makhdoomi in Rainawari area of Srinagar early this morning. “I saw people crying loudly, praying and paying obeisance at the shrine. All were wearing masks and using sanitizers. Nobody was allowed to kiss the tomb of sufi saint,” said Farooq, who visited the shrine after a gap of five months.

“I found solace there. It’s a  place of peace and blessings. God listens to my prayers here only as I plead before him with the name of this revered saint,” he told NVI.

A large number of women too were seen visiting the shrine. People also visited Hazratbal shrine in Srinagar and offered prayers. The majority of shrines are located in old Srinagar and according to residents, all were thrown open for the people today after five months.

Women were seen offering prayers at the shrine of Hazrat Sheikh Syed Abdul Qadir Jeelani at Khanyar area of Srinagar, which is one of the most revered shrines in Srinagar.

“I distributed ‘tehri’ (yellow coloured cooked rice) among the devotees at the shrine first time after February,” said Fatima, who had been a regular visitor to the shrine since her childhood. Khanyar is the Srinagar locality where the first Covid-19 case of Kashmir was reported on February 19.

At another shrine of Baba Reshi at Tangmarg area of Baramulla district in north Kashmir, people including women devotees followed the protocols in spirit. “The shrine management asked us to stay in queues and to maintain social distancing while paying obeisance,” said Nasreena, a women devotee. “I prayed for the well being of my family and the health of my husband and children.”

She said it was an emotional moment for many devotees as they visited the shrine after a long gap due to the pandemic.

-ARK

10 Baloch men ‘abducted’ by Pak security forces in Quetta

New Delhi (NVI): Pakistani security forces have detained 10 persons from a family in Kahan area of Quetta city, in what seems to be yet another instance of enforced disappearances of Baloch people in the country.

According to The Balochistan Post, these 10 men were arrested by Pakistan security forces in Kahan area of Quetta city last night who raided their house and harassed women and children.

The family members, in a statement, have said that they were sleeping at 1:30 am when suddenly a heavy contingent of Pakistani security forces raided their house. “They called the 10 people in the house by names and whisked them away,” they said.

They have appealed to the authorities including Chief Minister of Balochistan, Interior Minister, Pakistan High Court and Supreme Court to order their release.

“We have nothing to do with any political organization. After the abduction of all the men in our house, women and children have become helpless. We appeal to the Chief Minister of Balochistan, the Interior Minister of Balochistan, the Supreme Court and the High Court to recover our loved ones and provide us justice”, a family member was quoted in the statement as saying by the Balochistan Post.

Enforced disappearances of Baloch people are quite common in Pakistan and the family members of such persons are waiting for years for their loved ones.

Many Human Rights experts have noted that Pakistan doesn’t follow its constitution and laws while dealing with the Baloch people and rather detain them at undisclosed places in inhuman conditions. Extra-judicial killing, mysterious disappearance is the fate of those who oppose the Pakistan military there.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) has appealed to the Pakistan government to stop these transgressions. But Pakistan has done nothing to address the situation and rather treated Baloch people as separatists.

It is pertinent to mention here that Balochistan’s struggle for freedom has continued for almost seven decades now as it regards itself as a separate territory that has been forcibly occupied by Pakistan.

-ARK

India provides assistance to Mauritius to contain oil spill

New Delhi (NVI): India has dispatched over 30 tonnes of technical equipment and material on board an IAF Aircraft to Mauritius to deal with an oil spill near the country’s south-east coast after a Japanese ship ran aground on a coral reef.

The government of Mauritius declared a “state of environmental emergency” late Friday as coastal areas including an island nature reserve face an ecological disaster.

Mauritius had requested for assistance from India in dealing with the environmental crisis due to the oil spill on its south-east coast and help in containment and salvage operations.

The specialized equipment sent by India, consisting of Ocean Booms, River Booms, Disc Skimmers, Heli Skimmers, Power packs, Blowers, Salvage barge and Oil absorbent Graphene pads and other accessories, is specifically designed to contain the oil slick, skim oil from water, and assist in clean up and salvage operations, an official release stated.

A 10-member Technical Response Team, consisting of Indian Coast Guard (ICG) personnel specially trained for dealing with oil spill containment measures, has also been deployed to Mauritius to extend necessary technical and operational assistance at the site, it said.

“India’s assistance is in line with its policy to extend humanitarian assistance and disaster relief to its neighbours in the Indian Ocean region, guided by the Prime Minister’s vision of SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region). The urgent assistance reflects the close bonds of friendship between India and Mauritius and India’s abiding commitment to assist the people of Mauritius in need,” the statement read.

The Indian assistance follows recent support provided by India to Mauritius in its fight against the Covid-19 pandemic, including supply of essential medicines, a special consignment of Ayurvedic medicines as well as a medical assistance team sent as part of Mission ‘Sagar’, it added.

-ARK

No change in Pranab Mukherjee’s condition, continues to be on ventilator

Former President Pranab Mukherjee

New Delhi (NVI): There is no change in the condition of former President Pranab Mukherjee and he continues to be on ventilator support, Army’s R&R Hospital in Delhi Cantt said in a fresh statement today.

However, the 84-year-old leader’s vital parameters are stable, as per the statement. “The health condition of the former president who also has multiple old co-morbidities is being closely monitored by a team of specialists,” the Army hospital said.

Mukherjee was admitted to the hospital on Monday and underwent brain surgery to remove a clot after he suffered a fall at his Rajaji Marg residence last Sunday. His condition has not improved since then and he continues to be in coma. He was also tested positive for Covid-19.

Meanwhile, prayers for the speedy recovery of former President continued in his hometown- Kirnahar in West Bengal’s Birbhum district. Residents at his native place held a ‘yajna’ for his recovery.

-ARK

NCC set for major expansion, to cover 173 border and coastal districts

New Delhi (NVI): National Cadet Corps (NCC) is all set for a major expansion as Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has approved a proposal in this regard which will see the induction of a total of one lakh cadets from 173 border and coastal districts in the country.

The proposals of the scheme were announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his Independence Day address yesterday.

One-third of the Cadets would be girl Cadets. More than 1000 schools and colleges have been identified in border and coastal districts where NCC will be introduced, Press Information Bureau (Defence Wing) said in a statement.

As part of the expansion plan, a total of 83 NCC units will be upgraded (Army 53, Navy 20, Air Force 10), to impart NCC training to the cadets in the border and coastal areas.

While Army will provide training and administrative support to the NCC units located in the border areas, Navy shall provide support to NCC units in the coastal areas and similarly Air Force will provide support to the NCC units located close to the Air Force stations.

This will not only provide exposure to the youth of the border and coastal areas to military training and disciplined way of life but will also motivate them to join the armed forces, the official release stated.

The NCC expansion plan will be implemented in partnership with the States.

-ARK

India’s Covid tally mounts to 25.89 lakh, death toll nears 50K mark

Representational image

New Delhi (NVI): 63,000 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours took the overall tally of confirmed cases in India to 25.89 lakh. The country has recorded 944 deaths since yesterday, taking the overall death toll due to the virus to 49,980, according to the Ministry of Health.

The number of active cases stands at 6,77,444 and 18,62,258 patients have been discharged so far.

Over 13,500 deaths have been reported from across the country so far this month. The whole of July saw a total of 19,122 fatalities.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra, the worst-hit state in the country, reported around 12,614 new cases of coronavirus on Saturday, taking the state’s total tally to 5,84,754.

With 322 deaths during the past 24 hours, the state death toll climbed to 19,749, according to the state health department.

India is the third worst-affected country by the pandemic after the United States and Brazil. It has been reporting a higher daily surge in caseload for the past 12 days, according to the WHO. India has reported over 49,000 Covid-linked deaths so far.

-ARK

PM remembers Vajpayee on death anniv

New Delhi (NVI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi today paid tributes to former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee on his second death anniversary. Modi tweeted a compilation of old pictures and videos while remembering Vajpayee for his “outstanding service” to the nation.

“Tributes to beloved Atal Ji on his Punya Tithi. India will always remember his outstanding service and efforts towards our nation’s progress,” PM Modi tweeted.

The nearly two-minute-long video featured photos and videos of the former PM taken during his long career in Indian politics.

The video has PM Modi’s voiceover in which he is remembering Vajpayee for his illustrious career as a leader and his contribution to the strengthening of BJP.

“This country will never forget Atal ji’s sacrifice. Under his leadership India held its head high as a nuclear power. As a politician, a Member of Parliament, a minister or Prime Minister, Atal ji has performed very well in many roles. Many great things can be said about Atal ji’s life, and no one aspect is lesser than the other. His speeches used to be talked about…” the PM can be heard as saying in the background.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and President Ram Nath Kovind also paid respects to the former PM.

Vajpayee, the first BJP prime minister, had passed away on this day in 2018.

-ARK

Balochistan leaders, activists extend Independence Day greetings to India

File photo

New Delhi (NVI): Wishes and greetings poured in from Balochistan leaders and activists for the people of India on the occasion of 74th Independence Day.

Leaders from political parties, activists posted congratulatory messages for the nation on social media.

President of Baloch Republican Party took to twitter and wrote, “Happy Independence Day INDIA.”

“Happy #IndependenceDay to all #Indians. They fought a long war to gain this #freedom . Today, India is the largest democracy of the world. #Baloch are neighbours of India and hope they stand by us. We will follow their movement for #independence to regain #FreeBalochistan,” Kamal Baloch, Former Vice Chairman of Baloch Students Organization also greeted through twitter.

Ajmal Baloch, Baloch Activist, while extending his greeting made a small request to never forget the oppressed people of Balochistan.

He tweeted, “My dear Indian brother & sister’s being a Baloch from occupied Balochistan, I wish each & every Indian citizen a happy Independence Day Flag of India❤. May God make India a greater India. A small request please never ever forget the oppressed people of Balochistan. #IndependenceDayIndia”

Furthermore, representative of Balochistan at the UNHRC and EU, Mehran Marri took to twitter and wrote, “On behalf of the #Baloch people of occupied-Balochistan, I wish #India and all my Indian sisters and brothers a happy #IndependenceDay Anniversary. Hope one day a free #Balochistan will partner with #Hindustan to raise the slogan #BharatMataKiJai & sing #VandeMataram. Jai Hind!”

-CHK

J&K: 40-yr-old man killed in Pulwama

Indianapolis
Representational Image

Srinagar (NVI) : Unknown gunmen shot dead a physically challenged man in Kangan village of South Kashmir’s Pulwama district, this evening. 

A police official said that unknown gunmen fired upon a man identified as Azad Ahmad Dar, 40, a resident of Kangan village, leaving him critically wounded.

He said the injured man was shifted to a nearby hospital where doctors declared him brought dead.

He further added that whole area has been cordoned off to nab the attackers.  “Police have launched the investigation as to why a physically unsound man was killed,” the police officer said.

-CHK

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