Jammu, June 6: As Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives in Jammu and Kashmir on Friday to flag off the Vande Bharat train service from Katra to Srinagar and lay the foundation/inaugurate projects worth Rs 46,000, people are eagerly looking forward to a new developmental dawn on the union territory’s horizon.

PM Modi is scheduled to rewrite history by realising the over 70-year-long dream of the people in Kashmir, for whom the journey from the landlocked Valley to the rest of the country looked a distant prospect.

As the entire security apparatus drawn from the special protection group (SPG), army, CAPFs and the local police are maintaining the hawkeyed vigil on the security situation to ensure a peaceful and hassle free visit of the PM, the common man in J&K is enthusiastic about the events of the day going to change the future of the UT.

The Jammu-Srinagar national highway has always been the heartburn for millions of people living in the Kashmir Valley because of the highway’s undependability.

A small trickle of rain would trigger landslides, mudslides, shooting stones and caving in of the road, resulting in a blockade lasting days at a stretch on the Jammu-Srinagar highway.

The blockade of the Jammu-Srinagar highway is going to be of little consequence after Saturday, when the commercial operations of the Vande Bharat train service begin.

“All our horticulture, agriculture and handicrafts, including shawls, carpets, and walnut wood furniture, etc., suffer because of the huge transportation cost and the time taken for such products to reach the terminal markets.

“For Kashmir’s future generations, this story is now going to be a forgotten tale of the past. Goods trains will now transport our produce in the shortest possible time at low freight and without any uncertainty about arrival,” said Abdul Salam Mir, 64, a businessman living in Srinagar city.

Students travelling to seek admissions in professional colleges, patients going out for treatment, businessmen travelling to outside markets, and the common man looking for comfort, affordability and certainty of travel, all people living in Kashmir Valley are going to benefit from the train coming to Kashmir.

People outside the Valley, including tourists, businessmen and professionals, will equally benefit.

“From the point of view of integration and unity of the country, the railway link between Kashmir to Kanyakumari is a powerful political message the PM is going to send from Katra town today”, said Krishen Chand, 52, a resident of Katra town.

Bengaluru, June 6: Four people, including the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) Marketing Head and DNA Event Management Company staffers, were arrested on Friday in connection with the stampede near the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru that claimed 11 lives.

Nikhil Sosale, Head of Marketing for RCB, along with Sunil Matthew, Kiran, and Sumanth from DNA Event Management, have been arrested, according to the police.

Police said the accused have been arrested in a joint operation at the Bengaluru International Airport.

The police have also raided the residences of Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) Secretary Shankar and KSCA Treasurer Jayaram.

The personnel of the Cubbon Park police, who have registered the case in this regard and the special wing of the Central Crime Branch (CCB) conducted the joint operation.

The arrested individuals were on their way to Mumbai. All four accused have been brought to the Cubbon Park Police Station, where they were being interrogated by Seshadripuram Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP).

Even after the permission for the victory parade was not given, Sosle posted a message on social media about the victory parade and later deleted it, the police said.

He also announced that free tickets are available at the Stadium for the victory celebration event.

He allegedly further announced that the tickets would be available at Gate numbers 9 and 10 at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, and did not make arrangements to distribute the tickets.

The post was also made on the Royal Challengers’ official handle that the entry will be given at 3 p.m. This post has led to the gathering of lakhs of people, police said.

The DNA Company has acted as per the directions of Sosle. Among the total 21 gates, only three gates were opened, creating chaos.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday announced the suspension of five senior police officers, including the Bengaluru Police Commissioner and DCP (Central Division), in connection with the stampede incident on June 4.

“Such an incident has not occurred since I became an MLA, minister, Dy CM, and Chief Minister. This incident has deeply saddened us,” he stated.

The Karnataka Police in the FIR claimed that the accused parties — RCB franchise, DNA event management firm, and the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) Administrative Committee — organised the victory celebration without the necessary permissions.

The FIR has been registered under Sections 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 115(2) (voluntarily causing hurt), 118(1) (voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt by using dangerous weapons or means), 118(2) read with Section 3(5) (voluntarily causing grievous hurt, when the act is done by several persons in furtherance of common intention), 190 (unlawful assembly), 132 (criminal force to deter a public servant), 125(a) (filing false affidavit), and 125(b) (rash and negligent acts that endanger human life) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

Srinagar, June 5: Traffic jams, pedestrian malls packed with pavement sellers, sacrificial animal markets dotting scores of places and buyers jostling and haggling mark the Eid al-Adha shopping in Jammu and Kashmir’s Srinagar city and other cities and towns of the Valley.

Against fears that less enthusiastic shoppers would turn out to mark the Eid eve preparations, Kashmiris are coming out in large numbers, smiling and full of enthusiasm to celebrate the holiest festival of Bakr Eid or Eid al Adha on June 7. The festival also marks the successful conclusion of the Hajj pilgrimage.

Bakery shops, hosiery outlets and poultry shops were bustling with buyers, but the main focus remained on the sacrificial animal markets.

City’s largest sacrificial animal market at Eidgah grounds had flocks of sheep, goats, and a few camels available for the devout to buy. Although rates are competitive and reasonable at the various sacrificial animal markets yet the better-bred sheep and goats are a little costlier than the average breeds.

Muslims all over the World offer animal sacrifices on Bakr Eid to commemorate the sacrifice offered by Prophet Abrahim, who, under Allah’s command, chose to sacrifice his son, Ismail, in submission to the divine command. When Prophet Abrahim blindfolded himself and started to move the blade on Ismail’s throat, a sheep from Heaven replaced Ismail under the knife as Ismail stood smiling some distance away from his father. The father’s ultimate submission to Allah’s will finally became a great celebration as Abrahim returned home holding his son Ismail’s hand in joy.

It is to commemorate the great sacrifice Prophet Abrahim chose to make and the even greater blessing of Allah to accept the sacrifice and save Ismail from the knife that Muslims join in global festivities on Bakr Eid. The festival is a day of great joy and yet of the universal reminder that everything finally lies in the hands of God, by whatever name the believers might remember Him.

Children held by parents thronged markets to buy toys and new clothes as Kashmiris, for once, decided to forget the load on their purses. Locals spend lavishly on the Eid festival as it is a rare moment of joy and faith culminating in prayer and festivities.

For a change, the traffic cops were seen behaving leniently towards motorists and pavement sellers. The motorists ignoring traffic discipline blocked major and minor traffic arteries in the city while pavement sellers spread their merchandise on the pedestrian malls, forcing pedestrians to walk in the middle of the roads.

Having been witness to the worst violence unleashed by the terrorists during the last 35 years, Kashmiris are fast finding their journey to peace and tranquillity decorated with joyous festivals like Eid, Shivratri, Gurupurab, Christmas and Buddha Purnima.