November 2024 - The Kashmiriyat

Nov232024 by News DeskNo Comments

‘Local businesses suffer’: Strike against Vaishno Devi ropeway project enters day 2, Pilgrims face hardships

INDIA

Hundreds of pilgrims visiting the Vaishno Devi shrine atop the Trikuta hills in Jammu Kashmir's Reasi district faced hardships as a 72-hour strike by local stakeholders against a proposed ropeway project entered the second day on Saturday. The strike by shopkeepers, and pony and palanquin owners started on Friday amid apprehension that the ropeway project would render them jobless, officials said. The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board recently decided to move forward with a Rs 250-crore passenger ropeway project between Tarakote Marg to Sanji Chhat along the 12-kilometre track to the shrine after shelving the project in the past due to similar protests. While shops and business establishments remained open in Katra town, the base camp for pilgrims visiting the shrine, shopkeeper...

Nov232024 by News DeskNo Comments

Srinagar, Anantnag lead in rising head and neck cancer cases in Kashmir

REGIONAL

Head and neck cancers are on the rise in Kashmir, with Srinagar and Anantnag districts showing the highest number of cases, according to experts. The World Health Organization’s Global Cancer Observatory (GLOBOCAN 2022) ranks head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) as the 7th most common cancer globally, mostly among men. In Kashmir, the incidence of these cancers has been steadily increasing over the past few decades, with thyroid cancer now ranking among the top ten cancers in the region. Unlike other Indian states, where oral cavity cancers are more common, Kashmir has seen a shift. There is a growing number of thyroid and laryngeal cancers, however, according to experts, most of these cancers are preventable by avoiding modifiable risk factors, and if detected early, 90 ...

Nov232024 by News DeskNo Comments

Assembly Elections: NDA alliance leads in Maharashtra, trails behind in Jharkhand

INDIA

As the vote counting for the 2024 elections progresses, the Mahayuti alliance in Maharashtra is on track for a significant victory, leading in over 200 of the state's 288 seats. In contrast, Jharkhand is witnessing a closely contested race, with the JMM-led INDIA bloc holding a slight edge over the BJP-led NDA. The Mahayuti, a coalition of the BJP, Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena, Ajit Pawar’s NCP, and several smaller parties, is securing a commanding position in Maharashtra. With over 221 seats in the early trends, the alliance appears set to retain power in the state. The opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), consisting of the Congress, Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena (UBT), and Sharad Pawar’s NCP-SP, trails with leads in 55 seats. In the 2019 Maharashtra Assembly elections, the BJP-Shi...

Nov232024 by News DeskNo Comments

Tehreek e Taliban attack Shia groups in Parachinar; 49 killed, hundreds injured

INTERNATIONAL

A devastating ambush on a convoy traveling from Parachinar to Peshawar claimed the lives of at least 49 people, including seven women and a nine-year-old girl, and left 28 others injured. Officials fear the death toll could rise as the injured receive treatment, Dawn News reported. The attack occurred on Thursday in Mandori Charkhel, a region plagued by sectarian tensions and land disputes. Deputy Commissioner Javedullah Mehsood reported that the convoy of approximately 200 vehicles came under heavy gunfire, with attackers targeting from both sides of the road. Survivor Ajmeer Hussain recounted the horror, describing a sudden burst of gunfire that killed passengers beside him instantly. "I thought these were my last moments," he said, recovering in a local hospital. The shootin...

Nov222024 by News DeskNo Comments

‘Betrayal and Revenge’: Kishtwar woman kills co-wife, two children in deadly fire plot

REGIONAL

A fire in Drabshalla that claimed the lives of Nazia Begum, 10-year-old Amna Banoo, and 5-year-old Rizwan Ahmed has been confirmed as a premeditated murder. Police revealed that Asma Begum, the co-wife of Nazia’s husband, Khursheed Ahmed, confessed to the crime, citing suspicions of black magic and domestic disputes as motives. “We are heartbroken and cannot comprehend how such cruelty could occur within a family. It's a nightmare for us,” a relative told Chenab Times. The fire, initially reported as an accident, broke out on November 11. Investigators found evidence of foul play, leading to Asma’s confession. She admitted to drugging Nazia with sedative-laced tea, spraying insecticide in the room where Nazia and her children were sleeping, and then setting the room on fire wit...

Nov222024 by News DeskNo Comments

More CCTV cameras to be installed along Kashmir highway

REGIONAL

The Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Vijay Kumar Bidhuri Friday said that more CCTV cameras will be installed along the Kashmir highway to curb road accidents and enhance security. He said the recent Tengapora bypass road accident prompted the administration to adopt a more proactive approach to road safety. "These cameras are crucial not only for road safety but also from a security perspective," he said adding the administration will ensure that non-functional cameras are repaired and monitored regularly. The Divisional Commissioner as per the news agency Kashmir News Trust also stressed the need for a more holistic approach to addressing road accidents. "We need to think beyond law and order; it's an emotional and sensitive issue. We must impart moral education to prevent suc...

Nov222024 by News DeskNo Comments

Political prisoner cases to be addressed after statehood restoration: Omar Abdullah

REGIONAL

Jammu Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah stated on Friday that the resolution for the region's special status, recently passed in the Legislative Assembly, has not been rejected, and the doors remain open. He added that the issue of political prisoners will be pursued after the restoration of statehood. Speaking to reporters at an event in Polo View, Srinagar, Omar addressed the resolution's status: “The resolution was passed by a majority of the members in the Legislative Assembly, with Congress members also present. It is alive, not rejected, and the door remains open. We will pursue it further once statehood is restored." Regarding the release of political prisoners, Omar emphasized that the government must wait for the restoration of statehood first. He added that while l...

Nov222024 by News DeskNo Comments

SKIMS urges public to refrain from photography, videography inside hospital premises

REGIONAL

The Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) has advised the public to refrain from photography and videography within its hospital premises. In a statement issued on Friday, hospital officials emphasized the importance of maintaining patient confidentiality and privacy, and therefore, prohibited the use of mobile phones or any other devices to capture images or videos. The hospital has urged people to cooperate with the security staff and adhere to hospital protocols, respecting the privacy of patients.

Nov222024 by News DeskNo Comments

Mehbooba Mufti demands action against soldiers over civilian torture in Kishtwar

REGIONAL

Peoples' Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti has urged the Jammu and Kashmir government to take swift action against Army personnel accused of ill-treating civilians during anti-militancy operations in Kishtwar district. The alleged incident occurred on November 20 in the Mughal Maidan area, where five civilians were reportedly tortured by soldiers, resulting in injuries. Mehbooba Mufti expressed her concern over the allegations, stating that they evoke memories of the disturbing events that took place in Bafliaz Surankote earlier this year. She said that the victims, all from Kuath village, were summoned to the Army camp for questioning and subjected to extreme physical torture. She alleged that the victims were severely injured and unable to walk, requiring hospitalizat...

Nov222024 by News DeskNo Comments

Centre gets final chance to respond to PIL on defaced currency notes in Kashmir

REGIONAL

The Supreme Court today granted the Centre one last chance to file its response in connection with a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking a CBI investigation into the Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) exchange of defaced currency notes amounting to Rs 30 crore, Press Trust of India reported. The notes were allegedly linked to a separatist group from Kashmir. A bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan observed that sufficient time had been given to the Union of India to file its reply but granted an additional four weeks "in the interest of justice." The case concerns a PIL filed by Satish Bhardwaj, who claims that in 2013, the Jammu branch of the RBI exchanged these defaced currency notes, which he argues were part of a plan by the separatist group "Kashmir Graffiti" ...