REGIONAL

Kashmir’s Tulip Garden, one of the biggest in Asia, was officially thrown open to the public on Saturday. According to the officials, this year the garden will bloom with 17 lakh flowers of different varieties with a boast of five new flower varieties this year. An officer from the floriculture department told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that for this year they added five new varities of flowers and that the visitors will witness 1.7 million tulips in the garden. "The moment has come when the tulip garden has been thrown open the public. Both national and international tourists are visiting the garden the cherish the beauty of tulips," he said. As locals and tourists jostled to get a glimpse of the iconic garden on it's opening day, the officials said that in th...

The High Court of Jammu Kashmir and Ladakh has ruled that individuals working temporarily for over seven years are entitled to regularization benefits under relevant regulations. Justice Sanjeev Kumar, addressing a petition from a university employee, granted retrospective regularization as a Security Guard from April 1, 2005, with all associated benefits. The petitioner, Ghar Singh, argued in his plea that although his services were regularized in 2010, he should have been regularized immediately after completing seven years of service in 2004 as per the applicable regulations. Justice Kumar agreed, stating that the petitioner, who had been continuously serving as a Security Guard since July 7, 1997, without breaks, cannot be classified as 'casual labor'. The court emphasized ...

A 13-year-old boy from Pattan in Baramulla district of north Kashmir has been missing for five days. Ayaz Ahmed, father of Muntazir told that the teenager went to a local mosque in his residential area; Buran, for evening prayers on Monday but never returned. "Despite efforts, the family has not been able to locate him. The 2nd Friday of Ramadan marks 5 days of his absence," his father said. Muntazir, who is mentally unwell and without his phone, has a fondness for traveling in cars, buses, and trains. Ayaz Ahmed appealed to the public to be vigilant, especially in transportation areas and help the family in tracing their kin. "If anyone has any information regarding Muntazir's whereabouts, please contact the phone number 9596463326," the family appealed.

The Jammu Kashmir Police have registered a formal First Information Report (FIR) against a Facebook page admin, Mudasir Bashir Bhat, alias Mudasir Aziz. According to an instant FIR copy accessed by Srinagar-based news-gathering agency Kashmir Dot Com, one Mudasir Bashir Bhat, son of Bashir Ahmad Bhat, a resident of Khayam, Srinagar, has been booked vide FIR no. 8/2024 under sections 341 (Wrongful Restraint), 354 (Sexual Assault), 499 (Defamation), and section 506 (Criminal Intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). According to the FIR copy, the Facebook page admin was booked by Police station Rainawari after receiving a written complaint by a lady (name withheld), who runs an NGO by the name ‘Smile Foundation’. Meanwhile, investigations have been set into motion and further de...

A minor girl was mauled to death by stray dogs at Waghama area of Bijbehara in South Kashmir's Anantnag district. An official told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that a minor girl identified Arshima (08) daughter of Ghulam Nabi Wani resident of Waghama was attacked by stray dogs at her native village. He said that the girl was grievously injured in the incident and she was shifted to the hospital where she was declared dead. Meanwhile, police have taken cognizance of the incident—(KNO)

After Shopian, the locals of Baramulla are up in arms against the railway line expansion plans in the Kashmir valley. While villagers in south Kashmir’s Shopian district have objected to the land-marking for the railway line in the area as it will devastated their apple orchards, the residents in north Kashmir’s claim that railway authorities earmarked the ground of degree college Baramulla for the railroad track. The Railways Ministry has approved the final location survey of five lines, all of which fall under the Kashmir division. The lines include the Baramulla-Banihal section (135.5 kilometers), Baramulla-Uri (50 kilometers), Sopore-Kupwara (33.7 kilometers), Awantipora-Shopian (27.6 kilometers), and Anantnag-Bijbehara-Pahalgam (77.5 kilometers). The railway line expansion pl...

The divisional administration on Thursday said that record-break voting is expected in the Kashmir Valley and that the arrangements to ensure smooth annual Amarnath pilgrimage is being put in place. Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Vijay Kumar Bidhuri, as per the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) said that the reports they are getting from the field, a record-break voting is expected to take place in the Valley in the Lok Sabha polls. "The people should come forward to vote and in this regard, elaborate arrangements have been put in place," Bidhuri said. He also said that the arrangements are also being put in place for smooth annual Amarnath pilgrimage here. Bidhuri also said that the roads in Srinagar are being developed and the black topping will be done once weather c...

A Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel allegedly shot himself dead with his service rifle in Hafiz Bagh area of central Kashmir Srinagar district, on Thursday officials said. They told Srinagar based news agency Kashmir Scroll that CRPF trooper posted in Hazif bagh shot himself dead with his service rifle this morning. They said that the body has been shifted to hospital for autopsy, while police have taken cognisance of the matter.(KS)

A CRPF trooper died after falling unconscious during a routine exercise at DPL Kupwara on Thursday morning. An official told news agency Kashmir Scroll that one Constable rank CRPF trooper namely Sreejith J of 162 CRPF Camp, part of a routine exercise, lost his conscience at DPL Kupwara. "The trooper was immediately taken to SDH Kupwara, where the doctors declared him dead on arrival," the official said. (KS