Militants abduct seven relatives of policemen in south Kashmir
Srinagar, Aug 31 : Authorities sounded high alert across south Kashmir areas on Thursday after militants abducted seven persons connected directly or indirectly with the local police force.
Reports said militants on Thursday evening abducted Zubair Ahmad, son of a policeman from Arwani area of Kulgam district; Arif Ahmed, brother of a middle-rung police officer from Arwani; Faizan Ahmad, son of a policeman from Kharpora, Kulgam; Sumar Ahmad Rather, son of a policeman from Yaripora, Kulgam; and Gowhar Ahmad, brother of a Seputy Superintendent of Police from Katapora, Kulgam.
Earlier on Thursday, militants abducted Nasir Ahmad, son of a policeman from Midoora Tral.
Militants had on Wednesday abducted Asif Ahmad, son of a local policeman Rafiq Ahmad Rather, from Pinglish village of Tral in Pulwama district.
Following this alarming development, authorities have sounded a high alert across south Kashmir.
The authorities also decided to launch a massive operation in south Kashmir areas to check the alarming trend of militants going after relatives of police personnel.
Reports here said a high-level security meeting was held by top brass of security forces on Thursday evening where it was decided that a massive manhunt would be started with the first light on Friday to trace the abducted persons.
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Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
