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J&K: FIR registered after locals defy Covid lockdown to attend militant’s funeral

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Abid Bashir

Srinagar (NVI): Jammu and Kashmir Police has registered a case against those who took part in slain Jaish-e-Muhammad commander’s funeral at Sopore area of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district for violating the Covid-19 guidelines that prohibit assembly of more than four people.

Police has registered an FIR number 70/2020 under section 188 of Indian Penal Code (IPC). Investigations are being done on fast track basis and according to police, many people who uploaded videos and pictures of funeral procession of slain militant, have already been identified.

Sopore police in a statement issued here said that it has started investigations and subsequent identification of those who participated in the funeral of slain Jaish commander at Saidpora area of Sopore in Baramulla district.

A senior police officer, privy to the investigations, told NVI that matter is being investigated on fast track basis. “We have identified some people who had uploaded videos and pictures of Jaish commander’s funeral on social media sites,” he said. “Those who took part in funeral of the militant commander didn’t only violate the Covid-19 guidelines but put hundreds of people to a risk of getting infected to the deadly pandemic.”

A source in the police said that once the identification of the people who participated in the funeral of Jaish commander Sajad Nawab Dar, would be over, those involved in the act will be arrested and action as per law will be initiated against them.

“So far it is an open FIR against all those who participated in Dar’s funeral,” he said. “The body of Dar was handed over to this family against a written assurance that they will maintain social distancing and there would be no crowd at the funeral. Yet, people assembled at the funeral without bothering they may catch Covid-19.”

On Wednesday, security forces had laid a siege in Arampora area of Sopore in Baramulla district after acting on a specific lead about the presence of militants in a residential house. The contact with the militant was made in the wee hours (yesterday) and in the exchange of fire, a Jaish commander Sajad Nawab Dar, who according to police was active since 2018 in the north Kashmir belt and was involved in luring youth into militancy, was killed. Dar’s funeral was attended by hundreds of people amid slogans as evident in the pictures making rounds on Facebook and Twitter.

After the killing of a young militant commander Burhan Wani in July 2016, attending militant funeral was a new craze in Kashmir that had forced the security grid to formulate a strategy to ensure no mass gatherings take place on the slain militants’ funeral. To a great extent, security forces succeeded over the past three years, but the funeral of Jaish commander has once again pushed the security grid of Kashmir into a huddle to ‘carve a joint strategy’ to ensure that no major gathering or a massive funeral process takes place if a local militant is killed.

Gurdwara attack: US concerned over safety of Sikhs in Afghanistan

The terror attack on a Sikh shrine in Kabul left 25 dead and 8 injured. (Photo Credit: Twitter @TOLOnews)

New Delhi (NVI): Two weeks after a Sikh shrine was attacked by terrorists in Kabul, the US has voiced concern over the safety of the minority community in the country and asked Afghans to come together to ensure their security.

Terrorists stormed a Sikh Dharamshala in Kabul on March 25, firing at the devotees gathered there and killing 25 people and injuring eight others.

“I remain deeply concerned about the safety of the Sikh community in #Afghanistan. Afghan Sikhs have long been an integral part of the multicultural tapestry of Afghanistan, and Afghans must come together now to ensure the security of religious minorities,” Alice Wells, US State Department’s Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asian Affairs, tweeted.

 The ISIS Khurasan had earlier issued a statement, claiming responsibility for the attack. It said the attack was carried out by Abu Khalid al-Hindi, implying an Indian national.

The Indian national, who carried out the terror attack, was later identified as Mohammad Muhsin of Kerala.

The real name of the Indian attacker of the Sikh temple in Kabul city was Mohammad Muhsin, Khaama Press News Agency had reported, quoting unnamed officials of the Intelligence Bureau.

“Originally hailing from Kerala of India, Muhsin left for Afghanistan in 2018 to join the offshoot of the Islamic State terror group or the ISIS Khurasan,” it said.

The report said Muhsin’s mother had confirmed that she received a message that her son was killed during the attack on Sikh temple in Kabul.

According to Indian investigators, 21-year-old Muhsin had worked in worked in Dubai for some time before going to Afghanistan to join the ISIS.

Govt launches online training portal ‘iGOT’ for management of COVID-19

New Delhi (NVI): The Government has launched a training module for management of COVID-19 named ‘Integrated Govt. Online training’ (iGOT) portal on Ministry of HRD’s DIKSHA platform for the capacity building of frontline workers to handle the pandemic efficiently.

“Courses on iGOT have been launched for Doctors, Nurses, Paramedics, Hygiene Workers, Technicians, Auxiliary Nursing Midwives (ANMs), State Government Officers, Civil Defence Officers, Various Police Organisations, National Cadet Corps(NCC), NehruYuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS), National Service Scheme, Indian Red Cross Society, Bharat Scouts and Guides and other volunteers at the stage,”the Ministry of Human Resource Development said in a statement.

“India is fighting against covid-19 Pandemic and India’s first line of workers is already engaged in COVID relief and doing commendable job. However, a larger force will be needed to replace the first line and to tackle the exponential or geometric increase in positive COVID cases in the subsequent stages of the pandemic,” the MHRD said while highlighting the crucial role iGOT can play in training healthcare workers or those at the forefront of fighting COVID-19.

“MHRD’s ‘Digital Infrastructure Knowledge Sharing’ (DIKSHA) platform – an initiative for education & training has been leveraged by Government of India to launch iGOT portal to train all frontline healthcare and COVID Warriors of India to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision to care for those ‘who care for the nation’,” the ministry added.

DIKSHA’s population scale infrastructure was launched by the Vice President of India on Teacher’s Day in 2017 and is already being used by more than one crore teachers and students across the country in 30+ states & UTs for curriculum-based education and training.

The unique platform already has explanation, practice and assessment content linked to NCERT and state curriculum.

WATCH | Chinar Corps Commander on Rangdori Behak Op in Kupwara

Lt. Gen BS Raju, General Officer Commanding (GOC) of Srinagar-based Chinar Corps (15 Corps), has said that the recent ‘Rangdori Behak’ Operation by Indian Army at Keran sector in Kupwara along the Line of Control clearly shows the complicity of Pakistan in aiding and abetting infiltration.

“This operation clearly shows the complicity of Pakistan in aiding and abetting infiltration and as a consequence, terrorism in the Valley. This act of Pakistan is especially reprehensible as when the whole world is fighting COVID-19 and its aftermath, here is Pakistan which is aiding and abetting infiltration,” he said in a video message shared by Chinar Corps on its official Twitter handle.   

“Operation Rangdori Behak was an operation conducted over five days by our formation in which we were successfully able to neutralise five terrorists who had infiltrated from Pak Occupied Kashmir,” he added.

The officer has also complimented the forces for successfully completing the operation in extremely challenging conditions. Five militants were killed and Army lost 5 soldiers of elite Special Forces in the 5-day operation.

COVID-19: UT, state-wise total number of positive cases

New Delhi (NVI): The country is witnessing a surge in the number of COVID-19 cases on a daily basis, as the latest report by Health Ministry shows a total of 5,734 confirmed cases and 166 fatalities so far.

After the first confirmed case in India, which was reported from Kerala on January 30, the virus has tightened its grip over the entire nation.

Here are the number of cases in different states/UTs across the country:

Andhra Pradesh- 348
Andaman and Nicobar Islands- 11
Arunachal Pradesh- 1
Assam- 28
Bihar- 38
Chandigarh- 18
Chhattisgarh- 10
Delhi- 669
Goa- 7
Gujarat- 179
Haryana- 147
Himachal Pradesh- 18
Jammu and Kashmir- 158
Jharkhand- 4
Karnataka- 181
Kerala- 345
Ladakh- 14
Madhya Pradesh- 229
Maharashtra- 1135
Manipur- 1
Mizoram- 1
Odisha- 42
Puducherry- 5
Punjab- 101
Rajasthan- 381
Tamil Nadu- 738
Telangana- 427
Uttarakhand- 33
Uttar Pradesh- 361
West Bengal- 103

A total of 472 people have been cured and discharged from hospitals in India. There are around 5,095 active cases currently.

‘Times like these bring friends closer’: PM replies to Trump over drug export

New Delhi (NVI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi today responded to US President Donald Trump who has expressed gratitude for sending anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) to America, saying “times like these bring friends closer”.

In his reply to the US President’s tweet, PM Modi also asserted that India-US Partnership is stronger than ever and India will do everything possible to help humanity’s fight against COVID-19 pandemic.

“Fully agree with you President Donald Trump. Times like these bring friends closer. The India-US Partnership is stronger than ever. India shall do everything possible to help humanity,” the Prime Minister tweeted.

 

Earlier on Wednesday, Trump praised PM Modi for his strong leadership, in response to the Indian government’s decision to ease restrictions on the export of hydroxychloroquine.

“Extraordinary times require even closer cooperation between friends. Thank you India and the Indian people for the decision on HCQ. Will not be forgotten! Thank you Prime Minister Narendra Modi for your strong leadership in helping not just India, but humanity, in this fight!” Trump said in a tweet.

Coronavirus cases rise to 1.5 million globally

New Delhi (NVI): The total number of coronavirus cases have now reached 1.5 million worldwide, with United States and United Kingdom seeing spike in deaths in a single day, according to John Hopkins University data.

In addition to this, at least 88,538 people have now died globally.

Meanwhile, China reported a slight increase in new coronavirus cases for the second straight day, as the number of infections involving incoming overseas travellers hit a two-week high, according to media reports.

The death toll in the US has also crossed 14,000, after the country recorded the most new virus deaths in a single day.

New York City recorded 806 fatalities. The city has registered more than 4,500 deaths. There are more than 4,00,000 positive cases in the country.

In Italy, the number of infected people increased by 1,195, and the death toll rose by 542.

In another development, the World Trade Organization has forecasted a fall in global trade of up to a third. The suffering caused by the pandemic will be compounded by “unavoidable declines in trade and output”, the WTO’s director general has said.

Brazil Prez thanks PM Modi for helping with Hydroxychroloquine

New Delhi (NVI): President of Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro has thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and people of India in his address to his nation, for helping Brazil with Hydroxychroloquine (HCQ) to treat COVID-19 patients.

Earlier, Jair Bolsonaro, in his letter to PM Narendra Modi, had referred to the Ramayana and likened hydroxychloroquine to the “holy medicine” (Sanjeevani booti) to highlight the importance of ensuring that India supplies the drug to Brazil to fight against the spread of coronavirus.

“Just as Lord Hanuman brought the holy medicine from the Himalayas to save the life of Lord Rama’s brother Lakshmana, and Jesus healed those who were sick and restored the sight to Bartimeu, India and Brazil will overcome the global crisis,” Bolsonaro said in his letter.

India has received similar requests for Hydroxychroloquine (HCQ), from several other countries including its neighbouring countries like Sri Lanka and Nepal.

JK records fourth Covid death as elderly woman succumbs  

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Abid Bashir

Srinagar (NVI): Jammu and Kashmir witnessed its fourth Covid death late tonight as a 61-year-old woman from Udhampur district of Jammu division succumbed to the disease after she was tested positive for the deadly virus.

In his late-night tweet, the UT Government spokesman Rohit Kansal said: “61yrs old female patient from Udhampur passed away at GMC Jammu; tested positive for Corona; reported to be suffering from Arthritis and bedridden. Contacts being traced”.

This is the first COVID-19 death in Jammu region and fourth in overall J&K UT. Earlier, all three Covid-19 deaths took place in the Kashmir division.

Three persons, all aged above 50, died of the novel caronavirus infection. Two of the deceased were part of Tableeghi Jamaat while the third one, according to doctors, had transmitted the virus within the community.

The Jammu woman died on a day when J&K witnessed 33 positive cases for Covid-19, the highest ever single-day cases since the pandemic gripped UT on March 18.

Amid Covid-19 crisis, UNICEF calls for debt relief for poorest countries

New Delhi (NVI): As the world battles coronavirus pandemic, the fight has been especially tough for some of the poorest countries which are already under a debt burden.

While observing the debilitating impact of this unprecedented situation on some nations, UNICEF has said that debt relief for the poorest countries is critical in the fight against COVID-19.

“COVID-19 is generating an unprecedented global economic crisis. And as we witness in all such crises, this economic destruction is cruelly and unequally distributed,” UNICEF chief Henrietta said in a statement today.

She said that for the world’s poorest countries, the financial fallout caused by the pandemic, combined with debilitating debt-service obligations, is hampering their ability to prevent further transmission and protect citizens.

“And for the families within those countries, with widespread loss of income and limited access to food in environments where social distancing is impossible, soap and water for handwashing a luxury, and quality health services non-existent, the situation is already dire, and it is only going to get worse,” she said.

“While children are largely spared the immediate health consequences of the pandemic, they will suffer the economic destruction left in its wake. More than 200 million children live in debt-distressed countries and those at high risk of debt distress. The burden of debt leaves countries struggling to prevent disease transmission,” she added.

Henrietta further stated that low-income countries, in particular, are being forced to drastically increase spending to respond to the health emergency, while scaling up – or, in some cases, creating – social protection systems including unconditional cash transfers, guarantee of income for those who lose their jobs and employment security.

“The additional spending required must not come at the cost of other critical services for children, such as routine immunization, maternity care, and child protection. At this crucial time, countries need to spend more to protect the future of their children,” she said.

UNICEF has joined The World Bank and IMF in their call for debt relief and debt restructuring for countries in need. Henrietta said that UNICEF took the decision to reduce disease transmission and prevent further economic catastrophe.

“As the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres noted in his recent letter to the G20, debt restructuring is a priority — including immediate waivers on interest payments for 2020. By relaxing the burden of debt financings, countries are more likely to deliver the agile and aggressive response required to reduce the impact of the economic crisis and stop COVID-19 in its tracks,” she said.

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