Month: January 2025

A mysterious illness has struck the Rajouri district in Jammu and Kashmir, resulting in 17 deaths Medical authorities have rushed to the area to investigate the cause of the illness. According to Dr Amarjeet Singh Bhatia, Principal of Government Medical College Rajouri, a common factor among the deaths is the involvement of the brain and damage to the nervous system. "Forensic departments from Chandigarh and Lucknow, and teams from MHA are present here. A common factor in all the deaths is the involvement of the brain and damage to the nervous system," Dr Bhatia said. He also emphasised the recovery rate of the people affected by this 'unidentified disease.' "Out of 9 patients that were admitted to GMC Rajouri, 5 recovered. We have conducted preventive CT scans also, but recove...

The district administration of Rajouri has intensified containment and surveillance measures in Badhal village, Tehsil Khawas, following a series of mysterious deaths over the past month. In an official order issued under Section 163 of BNSS, authorities have delineated specific containment zones and implemented stringent monitoring protocols to curb the potential spread of infection. The order mandates that all families experiencing fatalities be designated as Containment Zone 1, with their houses sealed off and access restricted. Families identified as close contacts of the affected have been placed under Containment Zone 2, requiring immediate health monitoring and shifting of individuals to GMC Rajouri for continuous observation. The entire village has been declared Contain...

Jammu Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah who visited Budhal village of Rajouri on Tuesday said that the cause of 17 unexplained deaths remains unknown. He added that these deaths have not occurred due to any disease. Addressing reporters after assessing the situation in the affected village, Omar Abdullah emphasized the government’s priority to prevent further fatalities. “Our immediate focus is to ensure the death toll does not rise beyond 17,” he said. The Chief Minister revealed that as soon as the authorities were alerted, health and other relevant departments began working to identify the cause. "Extensive testing has been conducted, and we have ruled out bacteria or viruses as the source of these deaths,” he explained. Abdullah also highlighted that all the fatalitie...

A man was shot dead inside his Thar Jeep in broad daylight in Jammu on Monday. Reports said that unidentified persons fired upon a man inside his Thar Jeep (JK21G-0770) at Jewel Chowk Jammu. The victim identified as 37-year-old Sumit Jandial of Vijaypur, Samba was shifted to Government Medical College Jammu where doctors declared him dead on arrival. A case in this regard has been registered at police station Novabad. Shortly, after the incident, Police launched a massive search to nab the assailants. While divulging information about the incident, Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), Jammu Anand Jain, told reporters that the incident was due gang rivalry. He said Gataru gang of Vijaypur, Samba attacked a member of its rival group and there was no militant angle in ...

Jammu Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) president, Tariq Hameed Karra, has dismissed rumors about the alleged collapse of the alliance with the National Conference (NC), calling them "malicious" and "concocted." Speaking exclusively to Kashmir News Observer (KNO), Karra emphasized that there was no truth to the claims circulating on social media. He reiterated Congress's commitment to the alliance and support for the current dispensation. "These are just baseless, malicious, and constructed rumors. I don’t have much to say about it. This is not something that warrants a response," Karra said. Karra also reaffirmed the Congress party’s principal demand for the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood. He clarified that the party would not participate in the cabinet unl...

The Peoples Democratic Party leader Iltija Mufti has raised serious concerns about alleged irregularities in the JKP Telecommunications examination conducted by the Jammu and Kashmir Services Selection Board. In a post shared on the social media platform X, Iltija Mufti accused the JKSSB of jeopardizing the future of the region's youth. She claimed there were "massive discrepancies" in the examination results, pointing out that individuals who had performed poorly in previous constable exams had suddenly emerged as toppers. "JKSSB continues jeopardising the future of J&K's youth," she wrote. "Massive discrepancies in JKP Telecommunications exam where ‘toppers’ who fared poorly in the previously held constable exams. The government that rose to power by making lofty promises ha...

Danishwar Hameed In a heart-wrenching tragedy, a mother from Gudder village in south Kashmir's Kulgam district passed away 17 days after her son died from suffocation caused by charcoal fire fumes. Fameeda Akhter, who had been hospitalized since January 2, succumbed to her injuries on January 21. The incident occurred on January 2 when Fameeda Akhter and her 25-year-old son, Nisar Ahmad Khan, were found unconscious in their home due to toxic fumes from a charcoal fire. They were immediately taken to a local hospital and later referred to SKIMS Soura for specialized care. Despite medical intervention, Nisar Ahmad Khan passed away two days later. Fameeda Akhter fought for her life for over two weeks but tragically could not recover, leaving the family and the community in deep...

The Jammu Kashmir government has reconstituted the Board of Directors of the Jammu and Kashmir Khadi & Village Industries Board, superseding all previous orders on the subject. The Minister for Minister for Industries and Commerce serving as deputy chief minister of J&K UT also will serve as Chairman of KVIB now replacing Dr Hina Shafi Bhat. According to the official order issued by GAD JK a copy of which lies with news agency JKNS reads, the Minister for Industries and Commerce will serve as the Chairman of the board. Other members include the Administrative Secretaries of Finance, Rural Development & Panchayati Raj, and Industries and Commerce Departments, alongside the Registrar of Cooperative Societies and the Director General (Codes) from the Finance Department. ...

In a significant step towards preserving the iconic chinar tree, a cultural and ecological symbol of Jammu Kashmir, the J&K Forest Department, in collaboration with the J&K Forest Research Institute, has initiated a GIS-based, QR-enabled conservation project. This innovative approach aims to protect the chinar from threats such as urbanization, deforestation, and habitat degradation. The project, spearheaded by the Research Forest Division Srinagar, involves the geotagging and QR coding of chinar trees to enable precise monitoring and management. “By leveraging digital tools, the initiative seeks to ensure the long-term survival of this heritage species, which holds immense cultural and historical significance for the Kashmir Valley,” an official told the news agency Kashm...