Month: January 2024

There is a potential development in the Parliament concerning the bill aimed at amending the Reservation Act. This bill specifically seeks to grant Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to various communities, including the Pahari Ethnic Tribe (Pahari Kabila), Paddari Tribe, Koli, and Gadda Brahman, reported Daily Excelsior. The anticipated timeline for the discussion and passage of this bill is set to occur during the last session of the 17th Lok Sabha, commencing on January 31 and concluding on February 9. Notably, this bill was initially introduced in the Lok Sabha during the Monsoon session of the Parliament in July of the previous year. It was presented alongside two other bills, one addressing the nomination of two Kashmiri Pandits and one Pakistan administered Jammu Kashmir (PaJK)...

The weatherman on Friday forecast light snow at isolated higher reaches on January 25 and light rain and snow over scattered places for subsequent two days in Jammu Kashmir. “Dry weather is likely to continue till January 24 with generally cloudy on 20th evening,” a meteorological department official said. On January 25, he said, light snow at isolated higher reaches was expected while from January 26-28, light rain and snow was expected over scattered places. “As per indications of different models, there is possibility of light to moderate rain/snow at many places very likely from January 29-31. Detailed information will be shared in coming days,” he said The MeT department also forecast redevelopment of moderate to dense fog and fall in day temperature over Jammu Division du...

The All-Parties Sikh Coordination Committee (APSCC) strongly criticizes a recent ruling by the Jammu and Kashmir High Court regarding the identification of a Sikh based on their title. The committee deems this judgment as unwarranted interference in religious matters. In a noteworthy decision, the Jammu Kashmir High Court clarified that adopting the surnames "Singh" or "Kour" is not obligatory for individuals to be officially recognized as Sikhs. Expressing discontent with this ruling, APSCC Chairman Jagmohan Singh Raina issued a statement, acknowledging that while the judgment adheres to the J&K Gurdwara Endowment Act, the presiding judge should have possessed fundamental knowledge of the Sikh religion. Raina emphasizes that ignorance of religious principles cannot serve a...

Danishwar Hameed A Kashmiri driver hailing from Chansar in Kulgam met a tragic fate on January 12, 2024, succumbing to injuries sustained in an electrocution incident in Gujarat. The late Manzoor Ahmed Parray, son of Abdul Hamid Parray, faced critical wounds in the Kheda area of Ahmedabad when a low-lying electric wire fell on the truck he was driving, causing him and his childhood friend, Mudasir Ahmed Parray, to receive a severe electric shock. Manzoor, battling for his life since the unfortunate incident, was initially admitted to a hospital in Gujarat. Despite efforts to save him, he was eventually referred to Srinagar. Regrettably, he passed away en route. The incident took another life as well – Mudasir Ahmed Parray, a fellow resident of Chansar Kulgam and a close frie...

As Kashmir continues to grapple with power challenges, the Kashmir Power Distribution Corporation Limited (KPDCL) has announced a temporary increase in power curtailment by 2 to 2.5 hours. This decision stems from a considerable reduction in power generation, a consequence of the prolonged dry spell affecting the Valley. In a statement on its microblogging site, X (formerly Twitter), KPDCL informs the public of the necessary measure, emphasizing that this heightened curtailment during peak hours will be in effect until a sufficient power supply is restored. However, the corporation reassures the public that normal curtailment will resume once the power generation situation improves. This move comes in response to concerns raised earlier in the week, where it was reported that the ...

The Anantnag Police, in collaboration with the Executive Magistrate, has attached the residential property of Ab Salam Rather at Tangpawa Kokernag. This action is in connection with Case FIR No. 170/2022, involving offenses under IPC Sections 307, 7/25 I A Act, and various sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. In a press release Police said, The investigation revealed that Zahoor Ahmad Rather, son of Ab Salam Rather, was functioning as a militant associate, providing essential support like food and shelter to identified militants Asif Reshi and Wakeel Ahmad Bhat at his residence. This association implicates the property as "Proceeds of militancy" under the UA(P) Act 1967, leading to its attachment with confirmation from the competent authority. This stern move b...

A crucial eyewitness in a special CBI court on Thursday identified JKLF chief Yasin Malik as the main shooter firing at Indian Air Force personnel in Srinagar in 1990. Four IAF personnel, including a squadron leader, were killed and 22 injured on January 25, 1990, at Rawalpora on the outskirts of Srinagar. Rajwar Umeshwar Singh, a former IAF staffer and a witness for the prosecution, identified Malik who was produced before the court through video from Delhi’s Tihar Jail where he has been incarcerated for several years. “This is an important development in the case… the prosecution witness has identified Malik as the man behind the shooting,” said Senior Public Prosecutor for CBI Monika Kohli. PTI