Muzzled Art: Kashmir’s gun industry battling for survival
Bandook Khar Mohalla in old Srinagar was once home to more than 20 gun manufacturing units. But now the gun manufacturing industry is battling for survival. Out of several gun manufacturing factories in Kashmir, only two have survived. Established in the early years of the last century, the factories would manufacture and sell their products – 12 bore Single Barrel and 12 bore Double Barrel rifles – to the foreigners, tourists and locals who had a passion for hunting birds and wild animals.Almost 100 years later, there is a ban on hunting, a stringent procedure to procure license for these guns, a government regulation which limits the number of guns manufactured from these two factories to 840 a year.
Wide Ball
Clocks that don’t keep time
The famed Clock Tower, also known as Ghanta Ghar, at the Lal Chowk is again defunct.Last year, Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) installed four new clocks on the tower that have been sponsored by ‘Time and Sound’.Unfortunately, the clocks have again stopped showing time. The local traders and the frequent commutes have questioned the Srinagar Muincipal Corporation for failing to manage it properly.
Wide Ball
Kashmir-2018 Wrap up
2018 proved to be the deadliest year, as 144 civilians and 250 militants were killed in numerous encounters and clashes. Besides, that 19-month-old Hiba Nisar became the youngest pellet victim in Kashmir.
At the beginning of the year, Kathua minor’s rape and murder shocked the whole humanity. In June, Shujaat Bukhari’s assassination shocked media fraternity.
Political activities were abuzz after the collapse of PDP-BJP Alliance. Many PDP legislators changed sides and joined Sajad Lone’s People’s Conference. Here is the wrap of 2018
Wide Ball
Uri youth’s mysterious murder
On December 18, a 25-year-old Boniyar youth Azim Khan was found hanging in Baramulla. Azim had gone missing on December 13 after spending half the day in a gymnasium at Azad Gunj, Baramulla. Following which police constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the gruesome killing of a 25-year-old youth. The family of slain youth accuses Abdul Khaliq Buroo of Azad Gunj, the proprietor of the gym, for killing their son. The Baramulla family, however, denies allegations. The Kashmir Monitor team visited the native village of slain youth and talked to the Baramulla family, where Azim use to stay.
