Latest news with #Sharma
Time of India
an hour ago
- Politics
- Time of India
She died in my arms: Poonch mourns lives lost in Pak shelling
She died in my arms: Poonch mourns lives lost in Pak shelling POONCH: Shells screamed through the early morning darkness of May 7, tearing through homes and lives in Poonch district, close to the LoC in J&K. At Sukha Kattha, a cluster of small homes on a mountainside, Javid Iqbal's five-year-old daughter Mariyam lay in his lap, her stomach ripped open by shrapnel. 'She died in my arms,' he said on May 30, showing her photo, voice choked. His eight-year-old daughter Iram Naaz was wounded too. In another part of the district, at Jamia Zia-ul-Uloom, a 52-year-old seminary that doubles as a boarding school, Qari Mohammad Iqbal had just started his day. A shell exploded near an under-construction building beside his room, sending metal splinters flying. Four students were wounded. Qari Iqbal, a 46-year-old Quran teacher, was declared dead on arrival at the district hospital. As bombs rained on Poonch for three days, 14 civilians lost their lives, including students, religious teachers, shopkeepers, homemakers, and former soldiers. Over 65 were wounded — many with life-altering scars. Panic spread faster than the blasts. Families fled, streets emptied, The district fell silent under fear. 'Not even in 1965 did we witness this kind of bombardment,' said Zulfikhar Ali, a shopkeeper in Poonch town's main market. 'Everyone who could afford to leave, left.' From May 6 night to May 10, five shells landed outside BJP functionary Pradeep Sharma's home. 'It began at 1.45 am and didn't stop for days,' Sharma said. 'Doctors worked tirelessly, but if we had ventilators, we might have saved six to eight more. We need a trauma hospital here, a govt medical college.' Sharma said 80% of Poonch fled by May 10. He demanded bunkers for every household and government jobs, not just for families of the dead but also for those wounded in the shelling. 'Thirty-five of them have lifelong wounds,' he said. 'They're living with trauma too.' Amid loss and grief, another wound cut deep — one of defamation. Hours after Qari Iqbal's death, Delhi-based news channels flashed his photo on screen, calling him a Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist killed in Operation Sindoor. At Jamia Zia-ul-Uloom on May 30, his brother Farooq Ahmad sat quietly, his face sunken. 'We were already mourning, and then we got WhatsApp forwards. Friends asked, 'Why are news channels calling your brother a terrorist?' He had a beard and a Muslim name. That was enough for them to brand him something he wasn't. Even in death, he was humiliated.' Authorities moved quickly. Poonch police and district officials called the reports 'baseless and misleading'. Legal action was threatened against any outlet or person spreading false claims. Both CM Omar Abdullah and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi visited the Jamia and were briefed about the slander. Nazira Kousar, a mother from Poonch, rushed through falling shells to the hospital on May 7. Her 14-year-old son had been wounded at the seminary. 'Nothing could stop me,' she said. 'He survived, but now hides under a blanket, afraid to go outside. My husband has liver disease. We can't afford treatment.' She came back on May 30, hoping someone would listen. On May 31, Union home minister Amit Shah handed job appointment letters to the next of kin. Dalbir Singh, who lost his brother Ranjit Singh, a grocery shop owner, received one. 'He never married. He was calm and lovable,' Dalbir said. 'I feel the sky has fallen on us. I just want this to end.' At least five members of the local Sikh community died, including former Army officer Amarjeet Singh, homemaker Ruby Kaur, and neighbour Amreek Singh. A gurdwara wall was damaged in the shelling. As Poonch recovers from three days of unrelenting fire, scars remain — carved in stone and memory.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Health
- Time of India
All govt hospitals, health facilities to celebrate Yoga Day on June 21
Lucknow: As part of the Yogi govt's resolve to promote holistic health and well-being, the state health and family welfare department will organise programmes in all govt hospitals and health facilities. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Principal secretary Parth Sarthi Sen Sharma has written to chief medical officers (CMOs) and chief medical superintendents (CMSs) to begin preparations and awareness campaigns without delay. "Instructions have been given to ensure that Yoga Day is organised in all district hospitals, community health centres, primary health centres, and Ayushman Arogya Mandirs of the state. A roadmap for organising these events is being prepared in advance to ensure maximum participation," an official spokesperson said on Saturday. Informing the district authorities that the Yoga Day theme for 2025 is "Yoga for One Earth, One Health," the official letter stated: "The aim is to raise awareness about the benefits of yoga for improving overall health and lifestyle. In Uttar Pradesh, regular yoga sessions are already being held at all Ayushman Arogya Mandirs to support people's physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. On June 21, special yoga events will be organised at all these locations as part of this ongoing effort. " Sharma further said to help more people take part in International Yoga Day, Ayushman Arogya Mandirs will provide general yoga protocol skills to interested participants at the local level. The Ministry of AYUSH, along with the Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga, will also offer online training for yoga instructors. "Coordination should be established with the block/district administration while ensuring active participation of ASHA/ANM, voluntary organisations, and educational institutions at the community level. The message should be disseminated to the public through physical and digital means," he said.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Jt director of animal husbandry dept caught taking bribe of 25k
Jhunjhunu: Dr Deepak Agrawal, joint director of animal husbandry department in Sikar, was Saturday caught red-handed by an ACB team from Jaipur taking a bribe of Rs 25,000. Additional SP of ACB Special Unit II Jaipur, Mahavir Sharma, stated that an employee of animal husbandry department had filed a complaint against Dr Agrawal for demanding a bribe. The complainant said Dr Agrawal was harassing him by demanding a monthly bribe and an additional amount for facilitating his transfer to a desired location. Sharma said that Dr Agrawal initially demanded a bribe of Rs 50,000, but the deal was settled at Rs 25,000. After verifying the complaint, the ACB team conducted a trap operation and arrested Dr Agrawal while he was accepting the bribe. Sharma said the complainant had reported that Dr Agrawal used to mark employees absent in the attendance register and subsequently withhold their salaries. He would then demand a monthly bribe to process their salaries. If his demands were not met, he used his influence to transfer employees. Dr Agrawal transferred several employees and was also allegedly given charge as joint director against the rules, Sharma said.
Hans India
7 hours ago
- Lifestyle
- Hans India
The Saga of Big Fat Indian Weddings and Financial Burden
Indian weddings are known to be grand, colorful, emotional and deeply rooted in traditions. Weddings in India are not just a union of two people but a grand event that brings families, relatives and friends together to celebrate the event. Beneath the celebration and glamour of Indian weddings lies the truth - the financial burden that families face in fulfilling the cultural expectations and maintaining their social status. Weddings which are meant to be a joyous occasion filled with fun, laughter, love and blessings have unfortunately become an event to display wealth and status. And guess the saddest part. Instead of attending the spiritual union and showering their blessings on the newly wed, people today are keener to know who had the best decoration and who served the best food. Why Are Indian Weddings So Lavish? The recent Indian wedding of the son of a prominent business family made global headlines for its grandeur and celebrity appearances that included top international celebrities. While this wedding gained a lot of attention for its extravagance, people began to question – What is the true meaning and purpose of a wedding? Though lavish weddings are not an obligation for ultra-rich families, they become a burden for common people. For most families, pressure to host grand weddings comes from societal expectations, a desire to impress, and the age-old belief that a wedding is a once-in-a-lifetime event. In many communities, it's seen as a reflection of the family's social status. This mindset leads to excessive spending, sometimes even beyond one's means. In some regions, the dowry system which is strictly and legally banned still exists in subtle forms like gifts, gold and cash. This further increases wedding expenses. This adds another layer of pressure on the bride's family, contributing to the growing financial burden. The Hidden Side of a Lavish Celebration: Wedding Debt 'Mr. Sharma has spent 10 lakhs on his daughter's wedding decor. We have to do better'. This is the attitude that most Indian parents have. The unwanted need to compare creates pressure to stay ahead of others. When the desire for a grand celebration is more than the financial ability, families often turn to wedding loans. This is especially true for middle-class families who wish to keep up with the trends but lack sufficient savings. These loans come with interest, and repayment can take years, affecting future plans like buying a home, investing in a business, or even saving for children's education. You might see the smiling faces of parents in wedding pictures, but under these smiles, they are silently worrying about the debt from the wedding they have taken. Are we falling into the trap of Consumerism? The wedding industry in India has seen an incredible rise in the past decade. Celebrity weddings have created unrealistic expectations. From simple temple weddings, people are turning to destination weddings. With an estimated worth of over Rs 3.7 lakh crore and growing, it's one of the biggest industries in the country. From wedding planners to makeup artists, photographers to florists, it provides jobs and livelihoods to many. But at the same time, it feeds into a cycle of consumerism in weddings. No doubt Indian weddings are personal, emotional and joyous, but turning them into an occasion to display status or wealth takes away the charm of the occasion. If we take away the societal pressure and focus on things that truly matter in a wedding - love, togetherness and support then weddings can become less about the burden and more about the bond.
Time of India
10 hours ago
- Time of India
Ramesh Sharma is first certified drone instructor of Rajasthan Police
JAIPUR: In a first for the Rajasthan Police, Ramesh Sharma, posted at the Intelligence Training Academy (ITA) in Jaipur, became the force's first certified drone instructor. The police aim to strengthen technical capabilities by establishing a drone research centre and forensic lab at the ITA. Sharma cleared the Remote Pilot Instructor Course conducted by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), Govt of India, in New Delhi on his first attempt. Officials noted the significance of this feat, citing the course's low pass rate of just 22%. The initiative was led by Director General (Intelligence) Sanjay Agrawal in view of increasing drone activity along Rajasthan's international borders and also because of the ongoing plans to strengthen technical capabilities by establishing a drone research centre and forensic lab at the ITA. Sharma, who also heads the IT cell at the academy, was selected for the specialised training programme in New Delhi. According to police officials, the DGCA's Remote Pilot Instructor Course is mandatory for those who wish to train other drone operators. Additional SP Shalini Saxena of the ITA said that the course equips instructors to work at certified Remote Pilot Training Organisations (RPTOs), allowing them to legally train drone pilots in line with DGCA norms. Sharma's appointment is seen as a milestone in enhancing the force's in-house technical proficiency.
