Normal life remains disrupted in Kashmir Valley
Srinagar: Normal life remained disrupted across the Kashmir Valley for the 25th consecutive day on Thursday, with markets closed and public transport off the roads.
However, some private vehicles could be seen plying in many parts of the city while some roadside vendors also plied their trade, officials said.
The efforts of the state government to open schools up to high school level have not borne fruit as parents continued to keep the children at home due to apprehensions about their safety.
Government offices are open but attendance in many offices was thin due to lack of public transport, the officials said, adding the offices at district headquarters registered normal attendance.
While landline telephony services have resumed in many parts of the valley, mobile telephone services and all Internet services continue to remain suspended since 5 August after the Centre's move to abrogate Article 370, that provided special status to Jammu and Kashmir, and bifurcate the state into two union territories.
Most of the top level and second rung separatist politicians have been taken into preventive custody while mainstream leaders including three former chief ministers -- Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti -- have also been either detained or placed under house arrest.
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Remarks against St Francis Xavier: Right-wing speaker Gautam Khattar gets bail
Panaji (PTI): A court in Goa on Saturday granted bail to right-wing speaker Gautam Khattar, who was arrested after he allegedly made derogatory comments against St Francis Xavier.
Judicial Magistrate First Class, Vasco, granted regular bail to Khattar, currently admitted to Goa Medical College and Hospital at Bambolim for treatment of chest pain after he was shifted from the District Hospital in Mapusa two days back.
A row erupted after a video of remarks by Khattar, the founder of Sanatan Mahasangh, at an event on April 18 in the presence of Swami Brahmeshanand, State Transport Minister Mauvin Godinho and BJP MLAs Sankulp Amonkar and Daji (Krishna) Salkar, went viral.
St Francis Xavier is revered as the patron saint of Goa.
The controversial remarks led to the Vasco Police registering an FIR against Khattar on charges of hurting religious sentiments and creating enmity between groups.
He was detained in Kullu, Himachal Pradesh, by local police. His custody was later handed over to the Goa Crime Branch, according to officials.
