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7 civilians, three militants killed in J&K’s Kulgam (Third Lead)
Srinagar, Oct 21 (IANS) At least seven civilians were killed in an explosion in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kulgam district on Sunday shortly after a gunfight had left three militants dead, officials said.
A police spokesman said the gunfight took place after security forces cordoned off a village in Kulgam on a tip-off that militants were hiding there. The exchange lasted several hours in which three militants were killed and two Army soldiers injured.
The police said despite repeated warnings that civilians should not visit the encounter site unless these are declared safe, dozens of locals rushed there. “Someone from the crowd fiddled with an unexploded substance, resulting in the tragic incident,” the spokesperson added.
Reports from the village said locals were busy dousing the flames at the house that was damaged during the encounter when a deafening explosion occurred.
The Kulgam district hospital authorities said that initially three injured were brought to the hospital who were declared dead on arrival.
“Two injured civilians while being taken to a Srinagar hospital died on the way while another was declared brought dead by doctors at the Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences in Srinagar,” said the spokesman. Later one more injured succumbed to his wounds at a hospital.
A total of seven civilians have died in this explosion while the injured were being treated in different hospitals.
A sense of mourning prevailed in Laroo village and other places of the district as people were rushing to the village to enquire about the well-being of their relatives and friends.
Authorities suspended cellphone and internet services and ordered a curfew in Kulgam in a bid to thwart more protests.
Former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti while expressing grief over the incident said: “Civilians are once again caught in the cross-fire of violence, adding fuel to the already volatile situation.”
Former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said alienating the people in the fight against militancy is a “recipe for losing the fight”.
“How long can we go on ignoring the ground realities and living in denial about how bad things are in Kashmir?”
The separatist camp called the deaths as ‘bloodbath’ and urged people to protest on Monday.
–IANS
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Dr. Abhishek Verma Dedicates a Shelter in Memory of His Mother, Veena Verma, at KGMU; Inaugurated by Daughter Nicolle Verma
World-renowned business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has supported Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission. In memory of his mother, Late Veena Verma, who was a 3 term Rajya Sabha MP.
Dr. Verma dedicated a state-of-the-art free permanent shelter for the attendants of patients at KGMU Medical University, Lucknow, under the aegis of Vijay Shree Foundation. His daughter, Nicolle Verma, inaugurated the shelter.
During the event, Foodman Vishal Singh honored Nicolle Verma by presenting her with a memento. Mrs. Nidhi Sharma and Avantika Yadav, associated with the organization, welcomed her with garlands. Following this, Nicolle Verma distributed essential items to the attendants and also handed out fruits. She became emotional remembering her grandmother on her birth anniversary.
On this occasion, she also inaugurated the “Veena Verma Sevalaya” in memory of her grandmother, Veena Verma, to serve the attendants. She expressed, “I feel proud that my family is engaged in nation-building as well as social service. Today, in collaboration with Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh Ji, I feel immensely proud to dedicate this shelter for the poor, helpless, and needy attendants of patients battling serious illnesses like cancer. I am honored to be associated with the Hunger-Free World Mission for humanity.”
Inspired by the continuous humanitarian service provided by Vijay Shree Foundation over the past 17 years, Nicolle Verma donated 10 lakh rupees to support the cause. The purpose of this donation is to ensure that services continue for the needy attendants of patients suffering from severe illnesses in hospitals, as facilitated by Foodman Vishal Singh.
It is noteworthy that Dr. Abhishek Verma’s family has a legacy of public and philanthropic service. They are helping millions to carry forward the values and service work of their parents. On the occasion of his mother’s birth anniversary, Dr. Abhishek Verma dedicated this state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College to serve the attendants of patients through the Vijay Shree Foundation.
Supporting Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission, Dr. Abhishek Verma assured that he would continually support keeping this flame of humanity alive. He also promised to assist in providing medicines to the helpless patients.
Continuing her grandmother’s legacy of service, Nicolle Verma personally served food to the needy patients and attendants. She said, “It is our good fortune to have received the joy of doing this noble work today through Foodman Vishal Singh. I have taken another step forward in carrying my family’s values and cooperation by joining hands with the Vijay Shree Foundation. My father taught me to serve and help the needy, and I feel happy when I bring a smile to someone’s face.”
On the birth anniversary of the late Veena Verma, the event organizer, Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh, said, “We feel proud and happy that Dr. Abhishek Verma, a globally renowned business tycoon, has extended his support to uplift our country from the hunger index. Today, on his mother’s birth anniversary, he inaugurated a state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College, which will always be helpful for the needy attendants of patients. It is a pleasure for me and the organization to receive the affection of Mr. Verma.”
The event was attended by General Manager Verma Family Office Hemant Garg, Sonu Rajput, and the organization’s volunteers, including Sandeep Singh, Parmeshwar Ji, Prashant Rao Gautam, Balram Singh, Ramesh Chaudhary, Suman, Jeetu, Anil, Suraj, Vinay, Manish Bhadauria, Manas Mehrotra, Vivek, Apurv, Happy, and others.