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Kashmir back on boil after six killed by security forces

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8 years ago

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Situation in sought Kashmir took a turn for the worse on Monday, March 5, as people came out on streets to protest the deaths in firing by security forces on Sunday.

Hundreds of people, including some gun-toting militants reportedly attended the funeral of a slain Lashkar-e-Taiba commander in south Kashmir despite prohibitory orders and a clamp down on internet services across the Kashmir Valley.

Media reports said there were dozens of clashes involving stone-pelting erupted in Shopian.

While the security forces claim that all those killed were militants or their over-ground workers, separatist leaders and locals alleged that four of them were civilians.

The deaths on Sunday evening occurred after a militant travelling in a car attacked an Indian Army’s mobile vehicle checkpost near Pahnoo village in Shopian district, some 60 km south of Srinagar. An Army spokesperson claimed the youths were overground militant workers, but local residents claimed they were civilians travelling in the car, according to media reports. Four persons were confirmed dead on Sunday night and two more bodies were recovered on Monday morning, said reports quoting the police.

While the police have not identified the three youths killed on Sunday, locals identified them as Suhail Ahmad Wagay , Nawaz Ahmad Wagay and Shahid Khan, said a report in The Hindustan Times (HT).

While the army called them “over-the-ground workers or accomplices” of the militants travelling in a Maruti Swift car, the locals said they were just civilians. A statement by police spokesman also referred to the three youths as “individuals”, the HT report said.

A relative of Suhail said the three were innocent and had nothing to do with militancy. “Suhail was a 22-year-old man doing fruit business of his family. His father and brother were in Delhi for business. Suhail had hired the services of the other two boys to help him transport fruit carts into the cold storage. He had called them overnight and was taking them home so that they could start work early next morning,” HT quoted Suhail’s relative, Fayaz Ahmad Mir, as saying.

Mir said that the three had bullet wounds in their backs. “No militant was accompanying them. He had called his family minutes before the shootout saying he was reaching home with the two boys.”

On the slain militant, the army’s identification differed from that of the police. While the army said he was Shahid Ahmad Dar, a resident of Jamnagri Shopian, the police spokesman identified him as Amir Ahmed Malik, a resident of Harmeen Shopian, belonging to banned LeT outfit and active since July 2017.

Later, police said they recovered the bullet-ridden body of Lashkar-e-Taiba militant Ashiq Hussain Bhat at Saidpora area in Shopian, about six km from the firing spot. He was missing since November 13, 2017.

“Preliminary investigation suggests that Bhat’s death was part of Sunday’s gunfight in Pahnoo village. Further investigation is on,” a police officer was quoted as saying.

The body of a civilian, Gowhar Ahmad Lone, 24, was also found on Monday morning, some 250 metres away from the gunfight site.

The killings have triggered outrage in the Valley.

Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti said she was “deeply distressed by more deaths of civilians caught in the crossfire in Shopian” and expressed her “heartfelt condolences to the deceased’s families”.

Separatist leaders Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Yasin Malik called for a valley-wide protest shutdown against the killings.

Fearing street protests, the authorities imposed restrictions in parts of Srinagar city and south Kashmir region. Internet connectivity in south Kashmir was suspended while its speed was curbed at other places in the Valley.

The State Public Service Commission ordered the cancellation of Monday’s civil services exams in the state. All university and school board exams scheduled on Monday were postponed.

People thronged Kapran village of Shopian to participate in the funeral of Lashkar commander Ashiq Hussain Bhat. Half a dozen militants were also seen offering the congregational Nimaz-e-Janaza of the slain commander. The militants then fired in the air to honour their dead colleague.

Protests also broke out in neighbouring Anantnag and Pulwama districts, north Kashmir’s Bandipora district and Badgam in central Kashmir where youths clashed with the security forces.

Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front chief Malik was arrested from here on Monday during a protest march against the killings. Police intercepted the Malik-led protest march and took the separatist leader and some of his supporters into custody.

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Vijay allocates Tamil Nadu’s lone Rajya Sabha seat to Congress

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay has handed the state’s lone vacant Rajya Sabha seat to Congress, strengthening alliance ties ahead of the upcoming Upper House elections.

Published

3 hours ago

on

June 4, 2026

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Actor vijay

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and TVK chief Vijay has allotted the state’s lone vacant Rajya Sabha seat to alliance partner Congress, a move that further strengthens cooperation between the two parties after the formation of the new government. The decision comes ahead of the Rajya Sabha elections scheduled for June 18.

The allocation is being seen as an important political gesture by Vijay towards Congress, which has emerged as a key ally of the ruling coalition in Tamil Nadu. Congress currently has five MLAs supporting the government and is also represented in the state cabinet.

Sources indicate that senior Congress leader and All India Congress Committee functionary Praveen Chakravarty is likely to be the party’s nominee for the Rajya Sabha seat. His nomination is expected to be filed in the coming days.

Move reinforces TVK-Congress partnership

The decision follows recent interactions between senior Congress leaders and the Tamil Nadu leadership, including a meeting between veteran Congress leader P. Chidambaram and Chief Minister Vijay. Political observers view the Rajya Sabha seat-sharing arrangement as another step towards consolidating the alliance ahead of future electoral contests.

Congress had reportedly sought the Rajya Sabha berth from its ally, and the allocation is expected to increase the party’s representation in the Upper House from Tamil Nadu. With the latest development, Congress is set to have two Rajya Sabha members from the state along with representation in the state government.

The Rajya Sabha bypoll had earlier been viewed as an opportunity for Vijay’s TVK to secure its first direct entry into Parliament. However, the party chose to back its ally, highlighting the importance it places on coalition politics and alliance management.

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Union Cabinet approves Rs.10,000 crore jet fuel price stabilisation fund to support airlines

The Centre has approved a Rs. 10,000 crore Aviation Turbine Fuel Price Stabilisation Fund to support airlines and oil companies facing pressure from rising global fuel prices.

Published

18 hours ago

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June 3, 2026

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The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved a one-time budgetary support of up to Rs. 10,000 crore to help stabilise Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) prices for scheduled Indian airlines, offering relief to a sector grappling with elevated fuel costs amid global geopolitical tensions.

The government said the financial support will be provided to oil marketing companies (OMCs) to offset under-recoveries arising from supplying aviation fuel at moderated rates. The move is aimed at reducing the impact of sharp fuel price fluctuations on airlines and ensuring continuity of air services.

Why the government approved the fund

The decision comes as aviation fuel prices remain under pressure due to the ongoing crisis in West Asia, which has pushed up global energy costs. Fuel is one of the largest operating expenses for airlines and can account for up to 40% of total operating costs.

According to the government, the fund is intended to help maintain stable aviation operations and protect domestic and international air connectivity from disruptions caused by fuel price volatility.

How the fund is expected to help airlines and passengers

By cushioning the impact of rising fuel prices, the stabilisation mechanism is expected to ease financial pressure on airlines and limit the extent of fare increases that could otherwise be passed on to passengers. The support will be routed through OMCs, which have been bearing the burden of moderated fuel pricing.

Reports indicate that the fund has been designed as a stabilisation mechanism that can help the aviation sector manage periods of extreme fuel price volatility triggered by international crises.

Part of broader Cabinet decisions

The ATF Price Stabilisation Fund was among several key decisions approved by the Cabinet on Wednesday as part of a wider package covering aviation, transport and infrastructure initiatives.

The government said the measure is aimed at safeguarding the aviation ecosystem and ensuring that air services remain sustainable despite global market uncertainties.

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Virat Kohli’s advice to Vaibhav Sooryavanshi after IPL 2026 final wins fans online

Virat Kohli’s motivational message to teenage star Vaibhav Sooryavanshi after the IPL 2026 final has gone viral, with fans praising the veteran’s support for the young batter.

Published

18 hours ago

on

June 3, 2026

By

virat vaibhav

A brief conversation between Virat Kohli and teenage batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi after the IPL 2026 final has captured the attention of cricket fans across social media.

Following Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s title-winning campaign, Kohli was seen sharing words of encouragement with the Rajasthan Royals youngster, who emerged as one of the biggest stars of the season. A video of the interaction was later shared by RCB and quickly went viral.

During the conversation, Kohli praised Sooryavanshi’s achievements and reminded him that his success was built on hard work and self-belief. The veteran batter also advised the youngster not to be distracted by public opinions or outside commentary.

One line from Kohli’s message particularly resonated with fans. Referring to the Bihar-born cricketer, he said, “Ek Bihari, sab pe bhaari,” while encouraging him to continue aiming higher in his career.

Sooryavanshi enjoyed a remarkable IPL 2026 season for Rajasthan Royals. The teenage opener finished as the tournament’s leading run-scorer with 776 runs and secured the Orange Cap. His aggressive batting approach and consistency made him one of the standout performers of the competition.

While Kohli celebrated another IPL title with Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Sooryavanshi walked away with several individual accolades after a breakthrough season that established him as one of India’s most exciting young cricket talents.

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