Polling for 40 constituencies in Jammu-Kashmir's Assembly elections is underway, with over 3.4 million eligible voters. As of 1 pm, voter turnout reached 44.08%, with Udhampur leading the process
Long denied the right to vote, members of the Valmiki community exercised their franchise for the first time in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections on Tuesday and termed it as a "historic moment". The Valmikis were originally brought to J-K in 1957 from Punjab's Gurdaspur district for sanitation work by the state government. "I am a first-time voter at the age of 45. In my lifetime. We are thrilled and filled with enthusiasm to participate in J-K's assembly elections for the first time. It is like a big festival for us," Gharu Bhati, who voted at a polling station in Jammu, said. Bhati, who has led efforts for over 15 years to secure citizenship rights for his community said, "This is a festival for the entire Valmiki community. We have voters as old as 80 and as young as 18. Two generations before us were denied this right, but justice prevailed when Article 370 was abrogated, granting us citizenship of J-K." "For decades, our community, brought here for sanitation work, was
Voting commenced on Tuesday for the third and final phase of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections, covering 40 seats across seven districts, including the winter capital Jammu. More than 39.18 lakh eligible voters are set to decide the electoral fate of 415 candidates, including two former deputy chief ministers Tara Chand and Muzaffar Baig. The election will witness West Pakistani refugees, the Valmiki Samaj, and the Gorkha community exercise their franchise, having gained voting rights for the first assembly polls following the 2019 abrogation of Article 370. They previously participated in the Block Development Council and the District Development Council polls of 2019 and 2020, respectively. Polling began at 7 am in 16 assembly segments in three border districts of north Kashmir amid tight security. The assembly segments in the region going to the polls are Baramulla, Uri, Rafiabad, Pattan, Gulmarg, Sopore, and Wagoora-Kreeri (Baramulla district), Kupwara, Karnah, Trehgam,
The second phase of polling for the Jammu-Kashmir Assembly elections is underway, with 24.10% turnout reported till 1 am. Reasi leads at 33.39%, while Srinagar lags at 11.67%
Jammu Kashmir elections: Home Minister Amit Shah alleges Congress, NC, and PDP were responsible for spread of terror in Jammu-Kashmir, claiming that under their governance the region was in darkness
Jammu-Kashmir Assembly elections began on Wednesday after 10 years, marking the first polls since the abrogation of Article 370. The first phase includes 24 constituencies, across seven districts
Security forces intensified their anti-terror operations in parts of Kishtwar, Udhampur, Poonch and Rajouri districts on Saturday, following recent encounters in which two soldiers led down their lives and two terrorists were killed, officials said. A joint operation in the forests of Pingnal Dugadda in the Chhatroo belt of Kishtwar district entered the second day, with reinforcements joining the search parties to hunt down the terrorists responsible for killing two Army personnel, including a JCO, and injuring two others in a gunfight the previous day, they said. The officials said a vast area was kept under cordon with security forces utilising drones and other modern equipment to locate the terrorists, who fled the scene after the encounter taking advantage of darkness and the dense foliage. There has been no fresh contact with the terrorists so far, they said. A massive search operation is also underway in the upper reaches of Khandara Top, Kudwah and Raichak in the Basantgarh
The Office of the Chief Electoral Officer has said nine FIRs were lodged and five government employees suspended for violations of the Model Code of Conduct in Jammu and Kashmir. Twenty-three warnings were issued and inquiries were underway in 48 cases of poll code violations, the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) said in a statement. The Model Code of Conduct for elections to the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly came into effect on August 16. The statement from the CEO's office said 175 cases of poll code violations, including 96 against political parties and candidates and 53 against government employees, had been reported across Jammu and Kashmir. However, 89 complaints were dropped as these were found to be "baseless and false", the statement said and added five government employees were placed under suspension by the authorities in Srinagar for participating in political activities and further inquiry was initiated against them. Warnings were issued to violators in 23 cas
Security has been beefed up at government hospitals in Jammu with the deployment of armed security personnel to ensure the safety of medical staff and doctors, officials said on Friday. This step was taken in the wake of the rape and murder of a doctor at a hospital in Kolkata and related incidents of violence at the hospital. The deployment of security forces, including CRPF, has been made at Government Medical College (GMC) hospital and Sri Maharaja Gulab Singh (SMGS) hospital, they said. "GMC hospital in Jammu is among the first in the country to have armed security in the emergency premises for the safety of medical staff," a senior official of the hospital said. The administrations have successfully implemented these security measures after thorough discussions with the police authorities. A total of 34 police personnel, including 15 women officers, equipped with arms and communication tools, will be stationed for round-the-clock security, they said. These personnel will be
Increase in terror incidents in Jammu has caused alarm within the government, which has reportedly taken note of the recent setbacks and rising casualties in ambushes and encounters
A wreath-laying ceremony was held in Jammu on August 15 to pay tribute to Captain Deepak Singh of the Indian Army, who was killed in an encounter with terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday.In a solemn wreath-laying ceremony, Lt Gen Navin Sachdeva, GOC White Knight Corps laid a wreath to pay homage to Capt Deepak Singh who made the supreme sacrifice in the highest traditions of the Indian Army.Divisional Commissioner Jammu Ramesh Kumar and Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Anand Jain, present on the occasion, also paid their respects and tribute to the killed soldier.Capt Deepak Singh was killed in action during an encounter with terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir's Doda district on Wednesday. On Thursday, General Upendra Dwivedi, Chief of Army Staff and all ranks of the Indian Army saluted the supreme sacrifice of Capt Deepak Singh, who laid down his life in the line of duty in J & K and expressed deepest condolences to the bereaved family.Following the killing of .
Officials have received certain inputs on the possibility of anti-India elements making plans to target high-profile dignitaries, establishments, iconic places with significant crowd gatherings
J-K National Conference President Farooq Abdullah has sparked controversy alleging a possible collusion amid the rise in infiltration in Jammu. Someone is responsible who is double-crossing, he said
The encounter broke out after the terrorists opened fire at the search party personnel, who retaliated, the officials said
Border Security Force Special Director Y B Khurania on Friday arrived for a two-day visit to the Jammu frontier and reviewed the security situation in the region. The meeting took place in the wake of the perceived threat of cross-border infiltration along the International Border (IB) in the Jammu frontier. Khurania was received by Border Security Force (BSF) Inspector General D K Boora and other senior officers of the Jammu frontier. Boora provided a detailed presentation to Khurania, covering all critical aspects of border security and domination along the IB in Jammu. Khurania chaired a security review meeting attended by the IG BSF Jammu, IG BSF Kashmir, and senior officers of the Jammu frontier, during which the situation was thoroughly reviewed. The meeting focused on the security situation in the Jammu region. During his visit, Khurania interacted with the jawans and praised them for their dedication and professionalism in performing their duties.
Rajouri terror attack: The terrorists fired at the Army post in the Gunda area after which the troops guarding the post retaliated, resulting in a firefight
Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi on Saturday assured Jammu and Kashmir Lt Governor Manoj Sinha that the armed forces and security agencies will work with a "synergetic approach" to tackle growing terror activities in the Jammu region, and maintain peace and stability. The assurance came as they chaired back-to-back high-level joint security review meetings here, amid concern over rising number of terror incidents and cross-border infiltration. The meeting at the Raj Bhawan and the police headquarters were also attended by the director generals of the BSF, CRPF, J&K Police, the heads of intelligence agencies and other senior security officials, the officials said. General Dwivedi first chaired an over an-hour-long meeting at the police headquarters before almost all the participants moved to the Raj Bhawan for another round of meeting when LG Sinha, who was in Srinagar, returned to Jammu. Sinha chaired the high-level meeting with the Army Chief, various heads of security and ...
Eleven security forces personnel have reportedly lost their lives in action during 2024 alone
Doda terror attack: Officials informed that the encounter operation, still underway, began when troops launched a search operation in Desa forest belt of Doda
During Monday's ambush in J&K's Kathua district, Indian Army soldiers engaged the terrorists for several hours, preventing further casualties and stopping the terrorists from seizing their weapons