Introduction to KashmirForum.org Blog

I launched the website and the Blog after having spoken to government officials, political analysts and security experts specializing in South Asian affairs from three continents. The feedback was uniformly consistent. The bottom line is that when Kashmiris are suffering and the world has its own set of priorities, we need to find ways to help each other. We must be realistic, go beyond polemics and demagoguery, and propose innovative ideas that will bring peace, justice and prosperity in all of Jammu and Kashmir.

The author had two reasons to create this blog. First, it was to address the question that was being asked repeatedly, especially, by journalists and other observers in the U.S., U.K., and Canada, inquiring whether the Kashmiri society was concerned about social, cultural and environmental challenges in the valley given that only political upheaval and violence were reported or highlighted by media.

Second, the author has covered the entire spectrum of societal issues and challenges facing Kashmiri people over an 8-year period with the exception of politics given that politics gets all the exposure at the expense of REAL CHALLENGES that will likely result in irreversible degradation in the quality of life and the standard of living for future generations of Kashmiris to come.

The author stopped adding additional material to the Blog once it was felt that most, if not all, concerns, challenges and issues facing the Kashmiri society are cataloged in the Blog. There are over 1900 entries in the Blog and most commentaries include short biographical sketches of authors to bring readers close to the essence of Kashmir. Unfortunately, the 8-year assessment also indicates that neither Kashmiri civil society, nor intellectuals or political leadership have any inclination or enthusiasm in pursuing issues that do not coincide with their vested political agendas. What it means for the future of Kashmiri children and their children is unfathomable. But the evidence is all laid out.

This Blog is a reality check on Kashmir. It is a historical record of how Kashmir lost its way.

Vijay Sazawal, Ph.D.
www.kashmirforum.org

Friday, March 5, 2010

Where is the Rage?

It is amazing how serious crimes in Kashmir, which offer no political mileage, go under reported

Minor Identifies Bihari ‘Rapist’

Shakir Mahmood (Rising Kashmir)

Srinagar: A Bihari painter who was accused of kidnapping and raping young girls of various parts of city was Thursday identified by one of the victims before the lower court.

Zaheer Ansari alias Saleem son of Siraj-ul-Ansari of Kulwar Chularwa Bihar was hunted by police for kidnapping offences and rape of a 12-year-old minor of Zakura.

According to police reports and the victim’s statement, Zaheer kidnapped the minor girl and raped her when the accused was residing in their house as a tenant.

The police had then lodged a case FIR 42/08, u/s 363,376 in the Police Station Zakura.

According to police reports some labourers of Bihar were residing in the house of complainant as tenants for some time and with the help of companions, Zaheer had kidnapped a minor girl and taken her away to Bihar. Once the report was filed the case was registered and the investigation was launched.

During the investigations, police report says, it revealed that five laborers of Bihar were residing in the house of complainant and had helped the accused to kidnap the minor. The accused later left Srinagar for unknown destination.

An arrest warrant was later issued by the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) Srinagar while DIG Police Kashmir Srinagar ordered a police officer Nazir Ahamad to visit Bihar and arrest the accused. However, the officer failed to arrest the accused despite several raids while Zaheer had taken the girl to Nepal and were put up in Pokhra city.

During the investigations, police found that Zaheer along with the victim was aided by the locals of Kulwar Chularwa who managed their escape from Bihar.

However, police arrested Zaheer on April 24 2005 from Firdous colony Bemina when he returned back to valley.

The accused was released on the bail, however.

Zaheer’s intentions become obvious when he was re- arrested with a minor girl whom he had coerced into accompanying him in an autoriksha.

According to the statement, recorded by the victim in the court, the accused was the tenant in the house of the victim.

The minor who is a student of 9th class said that she was raped by the accused when she was alone in her house.

She said she hesitated in disclosing the happenings to her parents but later managed to press her parents into ousting the Zaheer from tenancy.

The girl stated that some months later when she was walking on the road the accused with other companions compelled her to accompany in the vehicle.

On September 4, 2008 Zaheer was arrested with the girl on way to Srinagar airport. Police reports said that the girl was found handcuffed in the vehicle and both of them were taken to Police Station Zakura.

Zaheer is previously accused of kidnapping a young girl on May 14, 2004 against which FIR 48/2004 u/s 366 of RPC was lodged by the complainant in Police Station Batamaloo.

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