Page 30 - Jammu And Kashmir

'Aur lado': Omar Abdullah mocks Congress-AAP as BJP leads in Delhi polls

Delhi Assembly elections 2025: Early trends that the Bharatiya Janata Party has secured 40 seats, while the Aam Aadmi Party has secured 30 seats so far

PDP's Iltija Mufti claims she, mother Mehbooba placed under house arrest

PDP leader Iltija Mufti on Saturday claimed that she and her mother, party chief Mehbooba Mufti, had been placed under house arrest. In a social media post, Iltija Mufti said she had intended to visit Kathua while People's Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti planned to visit Sopore to meet the bereaved family of the truck driver killed in army firing on Wednesday. "My mother and I both have been placed under house arrest. Our gates have been locked up because she was meant to visit Sopore where Waseem Mir was shot dead by the army," Iltija Mufti said in a post on X. "I intended to visit Kathua to meet Makhan Din's family and (I) am not being allowed to even move out. Nothing has changed in Kashmir even after elections. Now even comforting the families of victims is being criminalised," she added.

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J-K HC to hear case challenging LG's power to nominate MLAs on March 20

The Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh High Court has scheduled the final hearing on March 20 for a PIL challenging the authority of the J&K Lieutenant Governor to nominate five members to the Legislative Assembly of the Union Territory. A division bench comprising Justice Sanjeev Kumar and Justice Rajesh Sekhri directed both parties to complete the pleadings, including replies and counter-replies, by March 20 when the final hearing takes place. During the proceedings, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta appeared for the respondents, while Senior Supreme Court lawyer Dr Abhishek Manu Singh, along with D K Khajuria, represented the petitioner Ravinder Sharma. The court said that the bench will be available for the entire day on March 20. Chief Justice Tashi Rabstan had last October constituted a special division bench to hear the public interest litigation concerning the nomination of the five MLAs. On October 14, the Supreme Court declined to entertain the plea and directed the petitioner to

Hamas member attends 'anti-India' POK meet with Jaish, Lashkar terrorists

Hamas' spokesperson and representative in Iran, Khalid al-Qadoumi, met hardline Islamist leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman at the latter's home in Pakistan, reportedly for a narrative-building exercise

Mysterious deaths in J-K: Authorities seal insecticide, pesticide shops

As part of an ongoing investigation into the deaths of 17 people due to a mysterious illness in Badhaal village of Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district, authorities on Wednesday conducted surprise inspections of all insecticide, pesticide, and fertilizer stores in the district and initiated their closure. Officials said eleven patients who were admitted to the Government Medical College Hospital (GMC) after falling ill due to a mysterious illness in Badhaal village of Rajouri district have fully recovered and been discharged on Tuesday. In a major late-evening action taken by authorities in the border district, surprise inspections of all insecticide, pesticide, and fertilizer stores have been initiated followed by the closure of all these stores until further orders. This action was going on as per latest reports. Joint teams from the department of agriculture, department of food and drugs control organisation, assisted by police and headed by an executive magistrate, conducted ..

Amit Shah directs security agencies to boost anti-terrorism efforts in J-K

Union Home Minister Amit Shah Wednesday directed all security agencies to step up the fight against terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir with the goal of achieving 'zero infiltration'. Chairing two high-level review meetings in as many days here on the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir, he also said the ecosystem of terror in the Union Territory has been weakened due to the sustained and coordinated efforts of the Narendra Modi government. The home minister directed all security agencies to step up the fight against terrorism with the goal of 'zero infiltration', according to an official statement. "Our goal should be to uproot the existence of terrorists," he said. Shah said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the government is committed to wiping out terrorism from Jammu and Kashmir. "Terror funding from the proceeds of the narcotics trade has to be curbed with alacrity and rigour," he said. The home minister reviewed the security situation of Jammu and ..

J&K Police detain over 500 after retired soldier's killing in Kulgam attack

J&K Police detained over 500, including militants' relatives, after a retired soldier was killed and his wife, niece injured in a militant attack in Kulgam, south Kashmir

J&K Dy CM Surinder Choudhary vows crackdown on illegal mining, drug mafia

Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary He vowed to take action against illegal mining, drug mafia, and other organized crime syndicates

Statehood restoration to accelerate J-K development, says Farooq Abdullah

National Conference President Farooq Abdullah said that the restoration of the promised statehood to Jammu and Kashmir will give momentum to the ongoing developmental activities in the region and help the democratically elected government alleviate the suffering of the masses. During his interactions with the public and various delegations at his residence, the former chief minister said the Omar Abdullah-led government would ensure that the benefits of governance reach every doorstep. "The winds of change that have brought a democratic government to the region, with Omar sahib at the helm steering us towards safer shores, will work for every section of society, ensuring that the benefits of progress reach every doorstep," he said. He added that the signs of change are clear and development is on the rise, poised to accelerate once statehood is restored. "I am confident that the Centre will uphold its promise and grant full statehood, paving the way for rapid progress," Abdullah ..

Budget 2025: J&K gets Rs 41,000 crore, separate Rs 9,325 cr for police

The Centre has allocated Rs 41,000.07 crore to Jammu and Kashmir in the Union Budget for 2025-26, which is almost the same as the revised estimate for the 2024-25 fiscal. Additionally, the Jammu and Kashmir Police -- directly controlled by the Union home ministry since the abrogation of Article 370 and the reorganisation of the erstwhile state -- will receive Rs 9,325.73 crore, up from Rs 8,665.94 crore in 2024-25. In the budget presented by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in the Lok Sabha on Saturday, Rs 40,619.30 crore has been allocated as central assistance to meet the resource gap in Jammu and Kashmir. Rs 279 crore has been allocated as grants towards contribution to the Union Territory Disaster Response Fund and Rs 101.77 crore as support for capital expenditure. The Centre had allocated Rs 42,277.74 crore to Jammu and Kashmir for the 2024-25 fiscal that was later revised downwards to Rs 41,000.07 crore. In the 2023-24 fiscal, the allocation for Jammu and Kashmir wa

J-K Assembly's first budget session in 6 years to begin on March 3

The Budget Session of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly will begin on March 3 with Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha's address, officials said on Thursday. This will be the first budget of the Omar Abdullah-led National Conference government after assuming power on October 16 last year, ending a six-year-old central rule. "I, Manoj Sinha, Lieutenant Governor of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, under the provisions of Section 21(1) of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, call upon the Members of the Legislative Assembly to assemble in the Legislative Assembly Complex at Jammu on Monday, the 3rd of March, at 10 am to hear my address," read a bulletin issued by the Assembly secretariat. In another bulletin, the Assembly Secretariat requested the members not to send more than 10 starred and 10 unstarred questions in relaxation of Rule 32 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business and not more than three bills in relaxation of sub-rule (3) of Rule 65 of the Rules o

Authorities in J-K warn against spring water use due to contamination

Authorities in Kashmir have directed people not to directly consume spring water in Ganderbal district and rural areas of Srinagar after samples collected from 37 water bodies were found to contain harmful bacteria. In a notice issued on Wednesday, the Jal Shakti department said if at all spring water is to be used, it should be boiled. The warning comes in the backdrop of 17 deaths reported from Rajouri district due to a mysterious illness. "Jal Shakti (PHE) Rural Water Supply Division Ganderbal/Sgr carried out a massive drive of random sampling and testing of various springs across Ganderbal district, wherein it has been found that 37 out of 40 samples collected are bacteriologically positive... rendering those springs unfit for human consumption," the notice said. "Now, through the medium of this notice, the general public of district Ganderbal and rural Srinagar, where spring water is used for drinking purposes by locals..., are requested to refrain from using spring water for

Terror case: J&K MP Rashid Engineer seeks interim bail for budget session

Jammu and Kashmir MP Rashid Engineer on Wednesday moved the Delhi High Court seeking interim bail in a terror-funding case. Rashid sought the reprieve on the ground that he wished to attend the upcoming budget session of the Parliament, which begins on January 31 and concludes on April 4. As an alternative, he prayed that he be given custody parole during this period. The plea forms part of his pending petition on the issue of granting him bail in the case by the NIA. In the main petition, he has urged the high court to either direct the expeditious disposal of his pending bail application by a lower court here or decide the matter itself. On January 23, the high court had sought the stand of the NIA in the case and listed it for hearing on January 30. Rahid's plea for the interim bail is also expected to be heard by the high court on January 30. On December 24 last year, additional sessions judge Chander Jit Singh -- who had requested the district judge to transfer the case to

Search operations underway at nearly two dozen places across Jammu

Security forces on Tuesday launched a massive search operation at nearly two dozen places, mostly in the higher reaches and forest areas along the Line of Control, to counter terrorists who carried out several attacks last year in various districts of Jammu region, officials said. After carrying out deadly attacks in the twin border districts of Rajouri and Poonch since 2021, terrorists spread their activities to six other districts in Jammu region last year, leaving 44 people, including 18 security personnel and 13 terrorists dead. Though the Pir Panjal districts of Rajouri and Poonch witnessed a considerable drop in the terror activities in 2024 compared to the previous years, the series of incidents in Reasi, Doda, Kishtwar, Kathua, Udhampur and Jammu from April-May onwards came as a concern for the security agencies. The officials said a search operation is underway at 23 places highest 10 in the Chenab valley districts of Kishtwar, Doda and Ramban, seven in Rajouri-Poonch belt

CM Omar Abdullah releases mascot, commemorative souvenir for KIWG in J-K

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday unveiled the Khelo India Winter Games (KIWG) 2025 mascot, the snow leopard, symbolising the region's rich biodiversity and commitment to conservation. The Chief Minister also released a commemorative souvenir and launched a multimedia campaign for the event scheduled to be held from February 22 to 25 at Gulmarg in north Kashmir, an official spokesman said. Abdullah reviewed the preparations for the 5th edition of the KIWG during a high-level meeting held here, with the focus on ensuring the successful conduct of the event and strengthening the region's position as a premier destination for winter sports, the spokesman said. The first phase of the event was held in Ladakh from January 23 to 27. Over 1,000 athletes from 35 states, Union Territories and sports boards are expected to participate in competitions such as alpine skiing, Nordic skiing, ski mountaineering, snowboarding and a demonstration sportsnowshoe racing. The ..

JK Cement to acquire majority 60% stake in Saifco Cements to enter J&K mkt

JK Cement, one of the leading cement producers, has said it will acquire a 60 per cent stake of Saifco Cements in a deal through which it will enter into the Jammu & Kashmir market. The JK Group firm will acquire a 60 per cent stake in Saifco Cements, which has an integrated manufacturing unit at Khunmoh in Srinagar, at a valuation of Rs 174 crore, according to a joint statement. Saifco's integrated manufacturing unit in Srinagar is spread across 54 acres of land and has a clinker capacity of 0.26 MTPA and grinding capacity of 0.42 MTPA. Besides, it has captive limestone reserves spread over 144.25 hectares with a total minable reserve of 129 million tonnes. "The acquisition will help the company expand its footprint into the state of Jammu and Kashmir Region," it said. JK Cement has a manufacturing capacity of 24.2 MTPA (million tonnes per annum) having a strong presence in markets such as Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh. Its turnover for FY24 was at Rs 86.30 ...

J-K: Tiranga Yatra with 500 participants in Uri marks 76th Republic Day

This year, Republic Day highlights the 75 years since the enactment of the Constitution and emphasizes "Jan Bhagidari" (people's participation)

NHRC admits petition on 'mysterious' deaths of 17 people in J&K's Rajouri

The NHRC has admitted a petition filed by a Jammu-based RTI activist over the mysterious deaths of 17 people from three Scheduled Tribe families in a remote village in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district during the past one-and-a-half months. In his petition to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Raman Sharma sought the statutory body's intervention to ensure "justice, relief and proactive measures to safeguard the rights and dignity of citizens in vulnerable areas". Seventeen people, including 13 children, died under mysterious circumstances in Badhaal village between December 7 and January 19. The patients complained of fever, pain, intense sweating, nausea and loss of consciousness before dying within days of their admission to hospitals. Investigations and samples collected empirically indicated the incidents were not due to a communicable disease of bacterial or viral origin and that there was no public health angle, prompting police to set up a Special Investigation

7 J&K cops who foiled Amarnath attack among gallantry medal recipients

Seven of the 15 Jammu and Kashmir Police officers, including former Kashmir Zone inspector general of police Vijay Kumar, awarded gallantry medals on the eve of Republic Day, played a key role in averting a possible terror attack on the Amarnath Yatra three years ago, officials said. The Medal for Gallantry recipients also included Humayun Bhat, a deputy superintendent of police who was one of four officers to lay down their lives during an encounter with terrorists in south Kashmir's Kokernag in September 2023. Bhat had been honoured with the Kirti Chakra for extraordinary bravery on the eve of last year's Independence Day. In addition to the 15 gallantry medals, Anand Jain and Nitish Kumar -- two additional directors general of police-rank officers -- received the President's Medal for Distinguished Service while 10 other officers were awarded the Medal for Meritorious Service. During his tenure in Kashmir as inspector general of police, Kumar generated an input that a group of .