Month: January 2023

Compared to previous years, the forest timber smuggling has seen sharp decline, as the year 2022 recorded seizure of over 14 thousand cubic feet in the Kashmir Valley. Acting with an iron fist against forest smugglers and anti-social elements involved in green gold loot, the Forest Department of Jammu  Kashmir along with Forest Protection Force and JK police, seized hundreds of vehicles and recovered thousands cubic feet timber (cft) timber in 2022, reveals an official data. According to the data accessed by Kashmir News Service (KNS), the forest department has seized 38 vehicles carrying illicit timber across all its Kashmir forest divisions and also seized, 14412 Cft timber in 2022. Data reveals the department has seized 16 vehicles in South circle, 14 in Srinagar circle and 08 ...

There is no accurate figure about drug abusers in Kashmir as doctors say that those visiting drug de-addiction centers is very less compared to the actual addicts. A recent report by the National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre in AIIMS revealed that over six lakh people in Jammu and Kashmir are addicted to drugs. But several doctors working in drug de-addiction and Addiction treatment facilities, news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) talked to said that though the number of drug abusers visiting for treatment has increased their number is the ‘tip of the iceberg’. Dr Adil Farooq, Medical Officer at ATF Shopian told KNO that about 360 drug abusers have visited the facility in the last year and among them around 200 have been following their treatment but the rest are visiting o...

A tragedy struck a family in Gujjar Basti Avil Manzgam area of Damhal Hanjipora in south Kashmir's Kulgam on Friday after an elderly man died on Friday while his residential house was gutted in a fire incident a few hours after his death. Tehsildar Damhal Hanjipora, Rouf Ahmad Lone told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), that an elderly man (house owner) died early morning on Friday after a few hours his house caught fire. The deceased has been identified as Mohammad Ashraf Khatana son of Ali Mohd Khatan, a resident of Gujjar Basti Avil Manzgam. Rouf said immediate relief was given to the family and he himself visited the spot along with other officials. “As per SDRF norms we will forward the case within the shortest period of time so that the family gets compensation...

All Parties Sikh Coordination Committee (APSCC) Jammu Kashmir has called for speedy elections in the region and the immediate restoration of statehood. Jagmohan Singh, the chairman of the APSCC speaking to the press said that elections shall not be deferred anymore in Jammu Kashmir and the mistrust in the Delhi-led administration is growing. "Congenial atmosphere should be developed in Jammu Kashmir so that the youth of the region does not feel left out," he said. Though the process of delimitation was also extended by a vast measure, we feel that elections should not be delayed anymore, said Jagmohan. "Unemployment in the region is swelling immensely and educated youth of the region are restless. It is unfortunate that the highly educated youth of Jammu Kashmir are jobless. Till ...

Union Home Minister Amit Shah Friday said that in a high-level security review meeting chaired by him in Jammu all the security agencies agreed to cast a 360-degree net to wipe out militancy from the Jammu region and that the Rajouri killing case has been handed over to NIA for a thorough probe. Addressing a press conference in Jammu after chairing a crucial security review meeting, Shah, who was flanked by J&K LG Manoj Sinha, said that all the security agencies, who have their role in Jammu’s security situation, were present in the meeting. “All of us agreed to cast a 360-degree net to wipe out militancy from the region,” he said, as per the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO). The Home Minister said that another decision taken in the security review meeting was that the “se...

A 9-year-old boy, who was injured in a mysterious firing in the Surankote area of Poonch district yesterday, died at Government Medical College Jammu on Thursday. Sources said that the boy identified as Ifran Ahmed son of Mohammad Sharief of Sangla Tehsil was shifted to GMC Jammu from GMC Rajouri for advanced treatment. However, he succumbed to the grievous wounds. SHO Surankote Rajveer Singh confirmed the death of the minor. He said the police have already registered a case (FIR No. 10/2023) under the relevant section of law and further investigations are underway. The boy was injured near his residence while two other persons, heading to pay obeisance at a Khanqah had a miraculous escape in the incident.

Jammu Kashmir State Disaster Management Authority on Friday issued an avalanche warning in several districts of Jammu Kashmir in the wake of heavy snowfall since morning. According to a communication, a copy of which lies with the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), an avalanche with high danger level is likely to occur above 2000 metres of Bandipora and Kupwara districts in the next 24 hours. “Avalanche with medium danger level is likely to occur above 2000 metres over Baramulla and Ganderbal districts and avalanche with low danger level is likely to occur above 2000 metres over Anantnag, Doda, Kishtwar, Kulgam, Poonch and Ramban districts in the next 24 hours,” the communication reads. It also advised people living in these areas to take precautions and avoid venturing in a...