Month: October 2024

A 4.3 magnitude earthquake hit Chenab valley with an epicenter in Gundoh area of district Doda this morning. The earthquake shook the entire region around 6.14 am but the time period was short. "We don't often feel such moderate earthquakes at our home but today it woke us all up. The tremor didn't allow anyone to come out of their homes," a resident of Doda town, told news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) For the past few years Chenab valley has been witnessing frequent earthquakes and experts believed that such moderate earthquakes release pressure and the chances of any big earthquake become less. As per the early reports no loss of life or property was reported from anywhere—(KNO)

Following the results of the Jammu Kashmir assembly elections, shopkeepers in Jammu’s iconic Raghunath Bazaar have appealed for the restoration of the Durbar Move tradition. The 149-year-old biannual practice, which involved shifting the administration between Jammu and Srinagar, was halted by Lt. Governor Manoj Sinha’s administration in 2021. Shopkeepers expressed that the discontinuation of the Durbar Move has adversely affected their businesses, leading to a sharp decline in trade revenues. Many believe the tradition played a crucial role in the economic vibrancy of the city, as it brought a surge of administrative activity, government employees, and business opportunities twice a year. Rajesh Gupta, a 52-year-old shopkeeper, expressed his concerns: "Our business heavily rel...

CPI(M) leader and MLA-elect Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami raised serious concerns over the recent orders issued by the Lieutenant Governor (LG) of Jammu Kashmir, which address appointments and service matters. The orders come just days before the region is set to establish its new legislature and cabinet. Tarigami described these orders as "unwarranted" and argued that they undermine the significance of the upcoming legislative assembly. “The issuance of such orders at this critical juncture not only disregards the democratic process but also encroaches on the authority of the elected representatives who are expected to take office soon,” he stated. He emphasized that these decisions should have been handled by the elected representatives instead of being imposed unilaterally by the...

Jammu Kashmir police on Saturday claimed to have dismantled a significant interstate drug trafficking network with the arrest of three individuals involved in the illegal trade. Police stated, "Acting on credible information about a narcotics consignment being transported from Delhi to Srinagar, we established multiple checkpoints along the route." A Toyota vehicle was intercepted at Doonipora, Bijbehara, with three individuals on board: Monty Singh, a resident of Bulandshahar, Uttar Pradesh, and Ashish Bardawaj and Rahul, both from Chhatarpur, New Delhi. During the search, officers recovered 413 bottles of Codeine Phosphate (NRX), branded as Codril-T, concealed within the car’s door panels. All three suspects have been arrested and taken to Bijbehara police station, where they re...

A Srinagar man has been sentenced to 20 years of imprisonment by a fast-track court under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act for sexually assaulting a minor. The convict had connected with the victim through Facebook, later meeting her near her tuition center in Bemina. In 2020, he lured the victim to his home and coerced her into a physical relationship. The Presiding Officer, Aarti Mohan, stated that while there was no evidence of extreme brutality or forced abduction, the repeated assaults led to the victim's pregnancy, which later miscarried. The court considered both aggravating and mitigating factors, determining that the minimum punishment of 20 years would be appropriate for justice. In addition to the sentence, a fine of ₹25,000 was imposed,...

Days after the election result came out, the Jammu Kashmir administration has updated the Civil Services Rules to establish a Services Selection Board for hiring non-gazetted staff, including Class IV employees. According to the new rules, the board will be responsible for recruiting staff for various government departments, public sector undertakings, and organizations controlled by the Jammu Kashmir administration. "In exercise of the powers conferred by proviso to Article 309 of the Constitution of India read with Section 15 of the Jammu and Kashmir Civil Services (Decentralization and Recruitment) Act, 2010, the Lieutenant Governor is pleased to direct the following amendment shall be made in the Jammu and Kashmir Civil Services (Decentralization and Recruitment) Rules, 2010; nam...

Danishwar Hameed  Four families lost their shelter during an overnight blaze in the Kulgam district of south Kashmir. Locals told The Kashmiriyat that during the intervening night of Friday and Saturday, a two storey residential house caught fire at the Hadigam area of Kulgam. "Families of Shabir Ahmed Ganie, Fayaz Ahmed Ganie, Mudasir Ah Ganie and Azad Ahmed Ganie were living in the same house," said a local. He said that Shabir was injured in the fire incident after which he was rushed the hospital. Fire tenders, locals and Police personnel reached the spot and brought the fire under control, however, massive damage was caused to the property. "Our harvested apples, some cash we had saved, books of children, food items, clothes and everything has been damaged. We are co...

Moscow and Tehran are solidifying their alliance through economic and military cooperation, heightening tensions as Israel contemplates a strike against Iran. On Friday, Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan. Putin expressed the close alignment between the two nations, stating, "We actively work together in the international arena, and our assessments of current events in the world are often very close," according to the TASS news agency. Pezeshkian echoed Putin's sentiment, emphasizing their complementary strengths. "Our positions in the world are much closer to each other than to others," he told the Russian leader, as reported by Iran’s IRNA news agency. Putin also highlighted the growing economic ties between...

The Kashmir Valley is witnessing a return of cold nights, as temperatures dip significantly across various regions. The sharp decline in temperatures marks the beginning of a chilly season that the valley is accustomed to. According to the latest data compiled by Kashmir Weather Forecast, the coldest temperatures were recorded in Union Territory (UT) Ladakh, with Nyoma freezing at -5.0°C, followed by Padum at -2.8°C and Tangtse Durbuk at -2.3°C. Drass, often referred to as the 'coldest inhabited place in India,' recorded a temperature of -1.3°C. In Kashmir, Shopian experienced the coldest night with temperatures dropping to 1.9°C, while Sonamarg and Bandipora recorded temperatures of 3.9°C. Other parts of the valley, including Pulwama, Anantnag, Baramulla, and Budgam, saw te...

The National Conference (NC)-Congress alliance Friday staked the claim to form government in Jammu and Kashmir as chief minister-designate Omar Abdullah called on Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha here. During his meeting with Sinha, Abdullah presented the letters of support from the coalition partners, hours after Congress extended its support to the NC vice president. Abdullah was unanimously elected as the leader of NC legislature party on Thursday, paving the way for his second term as the chief minister of J&K. His first tenure as the chief minister was also as the head of the NC-Congress coalition government from 2008 to 2014. The NC won 42 of the 90 seats for which elections were held in three phases with the alliance partner Congress bagging six seats. Although the tw...