Page 13 - Jammu And Kashmir

NALSA launches Veer Parivaar Sahayata Yojana to aid defence personnel

The National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) on Saturday launched the Veer Parivaar Sahayata Yojana 2025 here to strengthen legal aid for defence personnel. The yojana was launched in collaboration with the High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh and the Jammu & Kashmir Legal Services Authority during the North Zone Regional Conference on "Reaffirming the Constitutional Vision of Justice for Defence Personnel and Tribals" at SKICC here. Presiding over the event, Supreme Court Judge and Executive Chairman of NALSA, Justice Surya Kant, said the gathering in Kashmir was not just about technical discussions, but also about national integration and honouring the selfless service of the armed forces. Justice Kant said Veer Parivaar Sahayata Yojana 2025 marks a historic step in NALSA's 30-year journey of delivering justice to the marginalised. "Members of our armed forces and their families face legal hurdles like any other citizen whether land disputes, service entitlements, or ...

Soldier dead, two others injured in mine blast along LoC in Poonch

An armyman was killed and two others injured in a landmine blast along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district on Friday, officials said. During area domination patrolling in the general area of Krishna Ghati, a mine blast took place, in which an Agniveer jawan was killed and two others suffered injuries, they said. The injured, one of whom is an JCO, have been shifted to a military hospital and are stable, they added. GOC White Knight Corps and all ranks pay solemn tribute to Agniveer Lalit Kumar of 7 JAT Regiment, who made the supreme sacrifice while on an area domination patrol in the general area of Krishna Ghati brigade, following a mine blast, White Knight Corps said on X. We stand with the bereaved family in this hour of grief, it said.

Op Sindhu: Of 3,597 evacuated from Iran, 1,500 hailed from J&K, says govt

Of 3,597 Indian nationals who were evacuated from Iran under Operation Sindhu, 1,521 citizens hailed from Jammu and Kashmir and 1,198 from Uttar Pradesh, according to data shared by the government on Thursday. The data was shared in a written response by Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh to a query in the Rajya Sabha. In a response to a separate query, he said, "Thirteen Indian nationals remain in the Russian armed forces, out of which 12 individuals have been reported missing by the Russian side." "The Russian authorities concerned have been urged to provide an update on all the remaining/missing individuals, and also ensure their safety, well-being and early discharge," the MoS said. Citing available information, he said there were 127 Indian nationals in the Russian armed forces, out of which the services of 98 individuals were discontinued as a result of sustained engagement between the Indian and Russian governments on this matter, including at the ...

Kashmiri Pandits urge parties to back bill on return and rehabilitation

Kashmiri Pandits welcomed the recommendation made by President Droupadi Murmu to a bill on the return and rehabilitation of Kashmiri Hindus in the Valley and urged political parties to vote for and support the bill concerning the community's rehabilitation. President Droupadi Murmu has recommended a private member's bill calling for the rehabilitation and resettlement of Kashmiri Pandits for consideration in the Rajya Sabha. The Kashmiri Pandits (Recourse, Restitution, Rehabilitation and Resettlement) Bill, 2022, was introduced in the Rajya Sabha by Congress member Vivek Tankha on February 2, 2024, but required the President's recommendation as it involves financial implications. The bill will be taken up for voting in the Rajya Sabha in the current session. Kashmiri Pandits have welcomed the President's recommendation and expressed their happiness over the move. "We welcome the recommendation of the President to the private member's bill on the return and rehabilitation of KPs in

J&K LG launches portal to provide relief to kin of terror attack victims

Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Tuesday launched a web portal to expedite the process of providing relief and compassionate appointment to the families of terror attack victims in the Union Territory. Sinha said the portal, developed by the Home Department in collaboration with the National Informatics Centre, will be centralised platform to capture and maintain comprehensive district-wise data on terrorism-affected families. "Launched a dedicated web portal today for terror victim families in Jammu Kashmir. The initiative will streamline & expedite the process of providing relief, compassionate appointments, and other forms of assistance to those who have suffered from terrorism in the UT," the LG said in a post on X. "I am personally monito ring & overseeing the redressal of all cases across the UT," Sinha added. On July 13, Sinha handed over appointment letters to the next of kin of 40 terror victims in Baramulla. Speaking on the occasion, he had said ..

Amarnath Yatra: Over 3,500 pilgrims proceed from Jammu camp amid heavy rain

Braving heavy rain, a fresh batch of more than 3,500 pilgrims left Jammu for the Amarnath cave shrine in the south Kashmir Himalayas amid tight security in the early hours of Tuesday, officials said. Over 3 lakh pilgrims have visited the 3,880-metre-high shrine of Lord Shiva, which houses a naturally formed ice lingam, since the pilgrimage began on July 3. Escorted by Central Reserve Police Force and police personnel, the 20th batch of 3,536 pilgrims -- 2,601 men, 822 women, 11 children and 102 sadhus and sadhvis -- left the Bhagwati Nagar base camp here in 132 vehicles between 3:33 am and 4:09 am, the officials said. The first pilgrim convoy, carrying 1,250 pilgrims in 48 vehicles, left for the shorter but steeper 14-km Baltal route in Ganderbal district. The second convoy of 2,286 pilgrims in 84 vehicles undertook the yatra via the traditional 48-km Pahalgam route in Anantnag district, they said. With this, a total of 1,27,541 pilgrims have departed from the Jammu base camp for t

Landslide hits Vaishno Devi track in J-K's Reasi; 1 dead, 9 injured

A massive landslide struck the old track to the Vaishno Devi shrine in Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir on Monday, leaving at least 10 persons including five pilgrims, injured, officials said. Officials said a booking office and an overhead iron structure caved in under the weight of the landslide, triggered by heavy rains which lashed Katra town, the base camp for the pilgrims visiting the shrine atop Trikuta hills, they said. The yatra to the shrine has been suspended till 1 pm as a precautionary measure. The incident occurred around 8.30 am at Gulshan Ka Langar near Banganga, the starting point for the yatra where mostly pony riders gather along the old track and register before taking the pilgrims to the cave shrine, 12 km from the town. The landslide resulted in critical injuries to three persons and minor injuries to seven others. All the injured were rescued and taken to hospital, officiating Chief Executive Officer of Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, Sachin Kumar Vaishya

July 14 incident a blow to democratic institutions, says Omar Abdullah

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah termed the manhandling incident on July 14 as "shameful", saying people behind this have done "democracy no favours" as such episodes deeply erode public faith in the electoral process. Abdullah also spoke about his long-held view that the current dual model of governance in Jammu and Kashmir is "not an ideal form of government". "What happened on July 14 was shameful. It should never have happened," Abdullah told PTI while referring to an incident at the Martyrs' Graveyard where he and his party colleagues were allegedly manhandled by police. Abdullah cautioned that the "implications and its ramifications will be felt long after" and said if "an elected head of government is being treated that way, imagine what that means for the regular citizens". He voiced deep concern that the incident could lead to widespread disillusionment among voters. "Already I know for a fact that there are people who voted in the last two elections who are

J&K CM pushes for 2 key projects as IWT pause opens door for water storage

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, an open critic of the 1960 Indus-Water Treaty, is hopeful that the central government will give a go-ahead for the completion of the Tulbul Navigation project in Kashmir and the diversion of Chenab River water to alleviate Jammu's water scarcity. In the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror strike on April 22 that killed 26 people, mainly tourists, the Centre announced a slew of measures against Pakistan for supporting terror groups and waging a proxy war against India. It included keeping the 1960 Indus-Water Treaty in abeyance. According to the treaty, India has unrestricted access to the waters of the eastern rivers -- Sutlej, Beas and Ravi -- amounting to around 33 million acre-feet (MAF) annually, while Pakistan receives the majority of the water from the western rivers -- the Indus, Jhelum and Chenab --totalling around 135 MAF annually. In an interview to PTI recently, Chief Minister Abdullah said that while the benefits of a full .

Search operation to track down terrorists resumes in J&K's Kishtwar

Security forces on Monday resumed a search operation to track down a group of terrorists hiding in a dense forest in Kishtwar district of Jammu and Kashmir, officials said. The joint operation by the police and the army was launched on Sunday afternoon in Khankoo forest in Cherji area between Dachhan and Nagseni, they said. It triggered a brief encounter with the terrorists believed to be affiliated with the proscribed Hizbul Mujahideen outfit and included two top-ranking ultras carrying a reward of Rs 30 lakhs each, officials said. After the gunfight, reinforcements were rushed to the scene and a massive search operation was launched to neutralise the fleeing terrorists, officials said, adding that the operation was called off late Sunday. It resumed on Monday morning with security forces deploying drones and sniffer dogs to relentlessly chase the trail to hunt down the terrorists, they said. The officials said security forces have already plugged the escape routes and expanded t

Amarnath Yatra: Fresh batch of over 4,000 pilgrims leaves from Jammu

The 20th batch of 4,388 pilgrims, including 900 women, left the Bhagwati Nagar base camp here on Sunday to offer prayers at the 3,880 metre high holy cave shrine of Amarnath in south Kashmir Himalayas, officials said. The 38-day annual yatra commenced on July 3 from the twin routes of Nunwan-Pahalgam in Anantnag and Baltal in Ganderbal. So far, more than 2.90 lakh pilgrims have paid their obeisance at the shrine, housing the naturally formed ice-shivlingam, they said. According to officials, the yatra is going on smoothly on both routes, and the number of pilgrims is likely to cross the 3 lakh-mark later in the day. The fresh batch of pilgrims, which included 130 sadhus and sadhvis, left the base camp in separate convoys for Pahalgam and Baltal under tight security arrangements, they said. While 2,815 pilgrims left for Pahalgam in a convoy of 115 vehicles, 1,573 pilgrims onboard 95 vehicles preferred the Baltal route, officials said. The pilgrimage is scheduled to end on August 9,

Jammu-Vaishno Devi rail line doubling: What it means for pilgrims, tourism

Jammu and Katra are currently linked by a single track, which poses operational constraints. The doubling project will enhance rail capacity, boost tourist footfall and additional train services

Fresh batch of pilgrims leaves Jammu for Amarnath after one-day suspension

After a day-long suspension due to heavy rains and landslides in Kashmir, the Amarnath Yatra resumed on Friday with a fresh batch of over 7,900 pilgrims leaving Jammu for the twin base camps of the 3,880-metre-high cave shrine in the south Kashmir Himalayas. The Yatra also resumed from the twin base camps of Pahalgam and Baltal in Kashmir, officials said. Escorted by CRPF and police personnel, the 16th batch of 7,908 pilgrims including 5,957 men, 1,613 women, 26 children and 310 sadhus and sadhvis left the Bhagwati Nagar base camp here in 261 vehicles for the twin base camps between 3:30 am and 4:25 am, the officials said. The first pilgrim convoy, carrying 2,879 pilgrims in 92 vehicles, left for the shorter but steeper 14-km Baltal route in Ganderbal district, followed by the second convoy of 5,029 pilgrims in 169 vehicles, who are undertaking the Yatra via the 48-km traditional Pahalgam route in Anantnag district, they said. With this, a total of 1,09,461 pilgrims have departed

Amarnath Yatra resumes after being suspended for a day due to heavy rains

The Amarnath Yatra resumed on Friday, a day after it was suspended due to heavy rains across Kashmir, officials said. A fresh batch of pilgrims left for the holy cave shrine from Nunwan and Baltal base camps, they said. The yatra was suspended on Thursday as heavy rains triggered landslides and shooting stones at several places along the treacherous trek. More than 2.50 lakh pilgrims have paid obeisance at the cave shrine of Amarnath in the south Kashmir Himalayas since the yatra began on July 3. The 38-day pilgrimage will conclude on August 9.

Amarnath Yatra suspended from Jammu due to heavy rainfall forecast

The Amarnath Yatra was suspended from here on Thursday following a weather advisory warning of heavy rain in many parts of Jammu and Kashmir, officials said. This comes a day after a woman pilgrim died and three sustained injuries in a landslide along the Baltal route of the yatra in Ganderbal district. "The yatra has been suspended for today. No fresh batch of pilgrims was allowed to move from Jammu towards the twin base camps of the holy cave shrine this morning," an official told PTI. He said the step was taken in view of a two-day weather advisory which warned of heavy rains in Jammu and Kashmir, including on the yatra routes in Kashmir. This is the first time the yatra has been suspended from Jammu this year. More than 2.35 lakh pilgrims have paid obeisance at the 3,880-metre-high shrine since the yatra began on July 3. A total of 1,01,553 pilgrims have departed from the Jammu base camp for the valley since July 2, when Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha flagged off the first .

Railway Ministry approves survey for doubling of 77.96 km Jammu-Katra line

The Railway Ministry has approved the final location survey for the doubling of 77.96 km railway line between Jammu and Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra, aimed at improving connectivity and facilitating pilgrims, officials said on Wednesday. "This survey will cover a length of 77.96 km and its estimated cost will be Rs 12,59,17,363. It is going to lay the foundation for the construction of this future railway line," Himanshu Shekhar Upadhyay, Chief Public Relations Officer, Northern Railway, said. The officials stated that the responsibility for implementing the entire project has been assigned to the Northern Railway. "This additional new line will greatly ease the travel of devotees who visit the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi shrine. It also reflects the efforts being made by Indian Railways to expand and modernise its network, especially in areas which are important from a strategic and public point of view," Upadhyay said. He added, "This initiative will not only promote pilgrimage and ..

Rahul, Kharge, write to PM Modi, urge legislation for statehood to J&K

Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge also urged the Centre to put forth a legislation that will bring the Union Territory of Ladakh under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution

BJP welcomes CAT stay on Urdu mandate for Naib Tehsildar posts in J&K

The BJP on Monday welcomed the decision of the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) for staying the government order making Urdu mandatory for applying to the post of Naib Tehsildar in Jammu and Kashmir. The CAT directed the Jammu and Kashmir Services Selection Recruitment Board (SSRB) to accept applications from candidates who possess a graduation with knowledge of any of the five official languages Hindi, Kashmiri, English, Dogri, and Urdu. The Bharatiya Janata Party legislative party on Monday held a dharna in front of the Civil Secretariat and Assembly to lodge their protest and press for the revocation of the government order making Urdu mandatory for Naib Tehsildar examinations in Jammu and Kashmir. "We welcome the decision of the CAT to stay this illegal and discriminatory order of the National Conference government. It is our victory", Senior High Court lawyer and MLA R S Pathania told reporters here. The bench comprising Member (A) Ram Mohan Johri and Member (J) Rajinder

Omar Abdullah grappled by J&K cops as he tries to visit martyrs' grave

July 13 used to be a public holiday in J&K until the state's reorganisation into two UTs in August 2019. It was removed from the list of gazetted holidays by the administration in 2020

12th batch of devotees departs for Amarnath Yatra from Pahalgam's base camp

On Sunday, Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha announced that the ongoing Amarnath Yatra has surpassed the 2-lakh mark