Page 39 - Jammu And Kashmir

72-hr shutdown in J-K's Katra begins as protests intensify against ropeway

A 72-hour shutdown by pony wallas, shopkeepers, and other proprietors will begin on Wednesday to protest against a proposed ropeway project in Katra, the base camp for pilgrims visiting the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine. The Shri Mata Vaishnodevi Sangarsh Samiti announced the strike Tuesday, stating that all activities in Katra would remain suspended during the bandh. "We have announced a 72-hour bandh in Katra starting tomorrow against the ropeway project. We seek the support of all residents of Katra to make the strike successful," a Samiti spokesperson said. He said the administration had initially promised to hold a meeting on December 23 but postponed it to 3 pm today. "We met the Deputy Commissioner today. They sought more time to discuss the issue with higher authorities. Therefore, we have decided to proceed with the strike," he said. Last month, the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board decided to install the ropeway to facilitate access to the temple for senior citizens, childr

Amitava Chatterjee appointed new managing director, CEO of J-K Bank

Chatterjee will replace Baldev Prakash, whose term comes to an end on December 29

Indian Army Chief, personnel condole death of 5 soldiers in Poonch accident

Indian Army Chief Gen Upendra Dwivedi and members of the Indian Army on Wednesday expressed grief over the death of five soldiers in a road accident in Poonch district.The deceased have been identified as Subedar Dayanand Tirakannavar, Lance Havildar Anoop, Naik Ghadge Shubham Samadhan, Sepoy Nikure Digamber and Sep Mahesh Marigond.Taking to social media X, ADG PI posted, "General Upendra Dwivedi and all ranks of the Indian Army express profound grief on the loss of Subedar Dayanand Tirakannavar, Lance Havildar Anoop, Naik Ghadge Shubham Samadhan, Sepoy Nikure Digamber, and Sep Mahesh Marigond in a tragic and unfortunate road accident while on operational duty in Poonch, J & K.""The Indian Army extends its deepest condolences and stands firm with the bereaved families in this hour of grief," the post added.Indian Army extends its deepest condolences and stands firm with the bereaved families in this hour of grief," the post read.Earlier today, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar

Omar Abdullah condoles death of 5 soldiers in Poonch accident, assures aid

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and National Conference President Farooq Abdullah have expressed deep sorrow over the death of five soldiers in a road accident in Poonch distrcit.The JK CM has also assured full support to the families of the soldiers who died near a forward post along the Line of Control (LoC) during this 'difficult time'."The President of Jammu & Kashmir National Conference, Farooq Abdullah, and the Vice President and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah have expressed their profound sorrow and heartfelt condolences over the tragic loss of five soldiers in a road accident near a forward post along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district. The leaders have extended their deepest sympathies to the families of the fallen soldiers, assuring them of the government's support in this difficult time. They also prayed for the quick and complete recovery of the injured soldiers, wishing them strength in their recovery process," JKNC posted on X.Five soldiers ..

5 soldiers killed as Army vehicle falls into gorge in J-K's Poonch

White Knight Corps on X said that rescue operations are ongoing, and the injured personnel are receiving medical care

Cold wave and fog disrupt life in North India, but winter tourism thrives

Despite train delays due to severe weather conditions, the snow-covered mountains have drawn large crowds of tourists eager to celebrate Christmas and New Year

J&K CM urges south Indian filmmakers to promote state's natural beauty

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has stressed the importance of using south Indian cinema to promote the natural beauty of Jammu and Kashmir as part of a broader strategy to boost tourism in the region. The chief minister also expressed a desire to engage more with filmmakers from the south Indian industry, which he believes has been overlooked so far. "The places we should be focusing on where the money is there, the budgets are big are actually the south Indian film industry. That, for reasons of arrogance or ignorance, we have consciously ignored up until now. So they are the ones with movie budgets of Rs 300-400 crore," Abdullah told PTI during a recent interview. The chief minister observed the tourism sector would benefit greatly if films depicted the scenic beauty of Jammu and Kashmir, as he highlighted the historical connection with Bollywood that, he said, had played an important role in establishing the valley as a favourite honeymoon destination for generations of Indians. T

Two soldiers sustain injuries, five terrorists neutralised in J&K's Kulgam

Indian Army's Chinar Corps said that the terrorists opened a 'heavy volume' of fire when challenged by the security forces

Must understand history to make better decisions for future: J&K LG Sinha

Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Wednesday highlighted the importance of understanding history to develop thinking and decision-making capabilities for building a better future and stressed the need to reconnect with the roots to gain clarity in vision and set meaningful goals for the future. The LG, who unveiled the silver jubilee issue of Raghvendra Panchang, congratulated Chander Mouli Raina, the editorial team of the Panchang, and all members of the Raghvendra Jyotish Sansthan Trust on the occasion. He commended the trust's efforts in raising awareness about traditions and preserving the legacy of the Panchang, which reflects the composite culture and rich heritage of the country. I believe our research on astrology and ancient scriptures should positively impact the lives of people from all walks of life. We must promote global good and focus on spreading the importance of a spiritually rich life and value-based living among our citizens, the lieutenant ...

8 deaths from unknown illness in J&K's Rajouri, Centre sets up experts team

The death toll from an unknown illness in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district has risen to eight, with another child succumbing to the mysterious disease in a hospital here on Wednesday, prompting authorities to set up a central team of experts to assist in investigating the cases and fatalities in the affected village. A Biosafety level 3 (BSL-3) mobile laboratory has been dispatched to Rajouri to expedite testing and identify the illness, officials said Twelve-year-old Ashfaq Ahmed, son of Mohammad Rafiq, passed away after being hospitalised at the Government Medical College (GMC) Jammu for six days, officials said. He was earlier referred to Chandigarh for treatment but could not survive, officials said. Ashfaq's younger siblingsseven-year-old Ishtiyaq and five-year-old Naziadied last Thursday. With the death of Ashfaq, the number of fatalities in Badhaal village of Kotranka tehsil has reached eight. All the deceased belonged to two families from the same village. Deputy ...

Airtel become first private telco to connect Kupwara, Baramulla, Bandipore

Bharti Airtel has become the first private telecom operator to launch mobile services in Kupwara, Baramulla and Bandipore districts of Jammu and Kashmir, the company said on Wednesday. The company said that it has deployed 15 mobile towers in Kupwara, Baramulla and Bandipore districts, which will benefit the local population and also offer essential communication connections for soldiers stationed along the Line of Control. "Bharti Airtel has partnered with the Indian Army to bring connectivity to villages in Kupwara, Baramulla and Bandipore districts along the Line of Control in North Kashmir," the company said in a statement. Under the Vibrant Village Programme, villages such as Kachhal, Balbir, Razdan Pass, Taya Top, Ustad, Kathi, and Cheema are now connected to the rest of the country. These villages are located in the Keran, Machhal, Tangdhar, Gurez, and Uri valley regions, spanning the three districts of Kupwara, Baramulla, and Bandipore. "Airtel is the only private telecom

J&K now part of India like any other state, region: LG Manoj Sinha

LG stated that President, considered the first citizen of India, was also not able to build a house here but noted that Jammu and Kashmir has become a part of India after revocation of Article 370

Udhampur-Baramulla Rail link ready, operations likely to start by January

Kashmir is likely to be connected to the rest of the country through rail next month as the work on the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL) has been completed, a senior Railway official said here on Tuesday. The Northern Railway General Manager Ashok Verma told reporters here that the work on the final tunnel located in the Reasi area will be completed within a week. "The project will be completed very soon. We are hopeful of the connectivity in January. Then all trains including Vande Bharat will run and a timetable will be framed for all the trains. We hope to start this project in January," Verma said. He said the completion of the project would make a huge difference and "there will be a total change in the situation in Kashmir". Verma said the work on the tunnel at Reasi, which was previously called as T-1 but is now known as T-33, is in its final stages and would be completed within a week. "Track-laying work has been completed, and electrical work is currently ...

J-K emerging as hub of national, international sporting events: LG Sinha

Asserting that sports is a powerful tool for positive change and has always served as a bridge to connect people of different cultures, LG Manoj Sinha on Tuesday said that Jammu and Kashmir is emerging as a hub of national and international sporting events. The LG addressed the Prof Chaman Lal Gupta Khel Ratna Award 2024 ceremony and felicitated the recipients of the prestigious sports award. He also paid tributes to former union minister Gupta on his anniversary. Sinha said the rapid development J-K has witnessed in the last few years is our tribute to Prof Gupta. Sports is a powerful tool for positive change and has always served as a bridge to connect people of different cultures", he said while addressing the function. "Today, J-K is emerging as a hub of national and international sporting events. Our renewed thrust on state-of-the-art sports infrastructure and allied facilities and nurturing young talent have revolutionised the sports sector of J-K, he said. The Lieutenant ..

Severe cold wave hits India: North freezes, Delhi chokes on 'severe' AQI

India shivers under a cold wave as freezing temperatures grip the north, while Delhi's air quality worsens to 'severe', prompting Grap Stage IV restrictions

Dynasty politics not lifelong ticket to success: Omar's advice to sons

Pooh-poohing the BJP's criticism of dynasty politics, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has said that political lineage is not a lifelong ticket to success and questioned why the ruling party doesn't raise the issue with its allied parties which can also be accused of perpetuating dynasties. Abdullah was responding to a question during an exclusive interview on Friday with PTI whether his family's fourth generation will go into politics, and if that would expose him to fresh criticism of perpetuating dynastic politics the way the Congress party and other opposition parties have been. Abdullah's two lawyer sons have recently made forceful political commentaries, especially on the issue of the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution that took away Kashmir's special status, an emotive issue among Kashmiris. They also campaigned extensively with their father during the September Assembly elections. "Whatever space they choose to carve out, they will have to make for .

Govt approves subsidised helicopter service for Jammu-Mendhar route in J-K

The Centre has approved a new subsidised helicopter route connecting Jammu-Poonch-Mendhar with an additional option of Jammu-Mendhar-Jammu route, an official said. The decision follows a proposal submitted by Jammu and Kashmir Civil Aviation Department secretary Mohammad Aijaz Asad for connecting the remote area of Mendhar directly with the winter capital Jammu, the official said. Subsidised helicopter services are already operational in several parts of Jammu and Kashmir, including Kishtwar-Sounder-Navapachi-Ishan-Kishtwar, Jammu-Rajouri-Poonch-Jammu, Jammu-Doda-Kishtwar-Jammu, Bandipora-Kanzalwan- Dawar-Niri-Bandipora, and Kupwara-Machil-Tangdhar-Keran-Kupwara. Quoting a communication from the Ministry of Home Affairs, the official said it has given its approval to the proposal to operate the subsidised helicopter services on the new route of Jammu-Poonch-Mendhar with an additional option of Jammu-Mendhar-Jammu. The Union Territory has been advised to claim the subsidy from the .

NIA files chargesheet in case of terrorist attack on pilgrim bus in J&K

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Saturday filed a charge sheet against an accused in the case related to the terrorist attack on a bus carrying pilgrims from Shiv Khori, Ransoo to Katra in Jammu and Kashmir, officials said.In its charge sheet presented before the NIA Special Court in Jammu, the agency has charged and arrested the accused, Hakam Khan, under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).Notably, the attack took place on 9th June 2024, when unidentified terrorists had opened indiscriminate firing at the bus when it reached Kanda near Jhandi Morh.Eight pilgrims as well as the bus driver were killed and 41 pilgrims were seriously injured in the attack, aimed at unleashing terror among the general public and those visiting the state of Jammu & Kashmir for pilgrimage. The firing had caused the bus driver to lose control after he was hit on the head with a bullet. The bus then rolled into a deep gorge, ...

HM Shah to chair high-level security meeting on J-K on December 19

Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir Manoj Sinha will also attend the meeting

Terror hideout busted in J-K's Reasi, huge cache of weapons recovered

The security forces remain vigilant and urge citizens to report any suspicious activity to the authorities