February 2025 - Page 3 of 7

Feb52025 by News DeskNo Comments

Trump deports 205 ‘illegal’ Indian immigrants

INTERNATIONAL

A US military aircraft, carrying 205 illegal Indian immigrants, is scheduled to land at Amritsar's Shri Guru Ramdas Ji International Airport on Wednesday afternoon. The C-17 military transport plane, which departed from San Antonio, Texas, is returning individuals who had entered the United States through unofficial routes, mostly from Punjab and surrounding states. Although the flight was initially expected to land in the morning, it has been delayed. Local authorities in Punjab are prepared for the arrival, with state officials setting up designated counters at the airport to manage the process. Punjab's Director General of Police, Gaurav Yadav, confirmed that arrangements have been made to handle the situation smoothly. Punjab’s NRI Affairs Minister, Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal, expres...

Feb52025 by News DeskNo Comments

28 lives lost, 1069 houses damaged during disasters in 2024-2025

REGIONAL

Jammu Kashmir has recorded substantial damage due to hydro-meteorological disasters during the year 2024-25, with 28 human lives lost, 73 cattle perished and 1,069 houses or huts damaged during the period. A cropped area of 0.02 lakh hectares was affected, the data presented in the Lok Sabha by Minister of State (MoS) for Home Affairs, Nityanand Rai reads. “As per the National Policy on Disaster Management (NPDM), the primary responsibility for disaster management, including the disbursal of relief assistance at the ground level, lies with the respective State Governments,” he said. “In the wake of natural calamities, State Governments undertake relief measures using the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF), which is already at their disposal, in accordance with the Government of I...

Feb52025 by News DeskNo Comments

Police Officers in Jammu Kashmir now empowered to tackle human trafficking

REGIONAL

Jammu Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has appointed all Station House Officers (SHOs) and Sub-Divisional Police Officers (SDPOs) as Special Police Officers under the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956 (ITPA). This move will enable them to take swift action against human trafficking and related offenses in their jurisdictions. The Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act is India’s primary law to combat commercial sexual exploitation and human trafficking. It criminalizes activities such as running brothels, procuring individuals for prostitution, and exploiting minors for sexual purposes. The law allows police officers to raid, rescue victims, and arrest traffickers without requiring additional approvals. With this new designation, SHOs and SDPOs can now act more effectivel...

Feb52025 by News DeskNo Comments

‘Massive surge’: Jammu Kashmir reported 3,468 cervical cancer cases in past 5 years

REGIONAL

Jammu Kashmir has reported a total of 3,468 cervical cancer cases over the past five years, a data presented by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in the Parliament reveals. The year-wise breakdown shows an increase in cases, with 656 in 2019, 676 in 2020, 694 in 2021, 712 in 2022, and 732 in 2023. As per the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), the cases increased from 656 in 2019 to 732 in 2023, reflecting a year-on-year rise. Specifically, the number of cases grew by 3.05% from 656 in 2019 to 676 in 2020, 2.66% from 676 to 694 in 2021, 2.59% from 694 to 712 in 2022, and 2.81% from 712 to 732 in 2023. This rise aligns with a national trend attributed to factors such as an aging population, improved life expectancy, greater awareness, and advances in diagnostic technol...

Feb52025 by News DeskNo Comments

‘Remarks pre-2019, I was not associated to party’: NC’s Ifra Jan on viral video

REGIONAL

National Conference social media in-charge Ifra Jan clarified her stance regarding a recently surfaced viral video, stating that the clip is from 2019, a period when she was not affiliated with the party. She emphasized that her remarks in the video were made in the capacity of a law student and represented her personal opinion at the time. While talking to the news agency Kashmir News Trust, Ifra Jan asserted that portions of the video had been edited to misrepresent her views. She explained that in the original interview, she had clearly stated that the reading down of Article 370 was a unilateral decision by the Government of India, undertaken without consulting or securing the consent of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. She further clarified that, as an ordinary citizen in 2019, ...

Feb52025 by News DeskNo Comments

‘Will take over Gaza Strip’: says Trump after meeting with Netanyahu

INTERNATIONAL

Former US President Donald Trump has proposed that the United States should "take over" the Gaza Strip as he met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss the ongoing ceasefire with Hamas, Voice of America reported. At a joint press conference, Trump said, "The US will take over the Gaza Strip, and we will do a job with it, too. We'll own it." He outlined a plan to remove unexploded bombs, demolish destroyed buildings, and "create an economic development that will supply unlimited numbers of jobs and housing." Trump also reiterated his stance that Gaza's two million residents should relocate to other Middle Eastern countries like Egypt and Jordan. "It should not go through a process of rebuilding and occupation by the same people that have really stood there and fought for...

Feb52025 by News DeskNo Comments

NDPS arrests in Jammu Kashmir surge by 70% since 2019

REGIONAL

From 2019 to 2024, a total of 13,186 arrests were made in Jammu and Kashmir under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, while only four convictions were recorded during the same period. According to the data provided by the Ministry of State (MoS) for Finance, Pankaj Chaudhary, in response to a question in the Lok Sabha, arrests in Ladakh were minimal, with only 11 cases reported between 2021 and 2022, and no convictions since 2019. “The arrests in J&K saw a steady increase in the first five years, with 1,700 arrests in 2019, 1,769 in 2020, 2,217 in 2021, 2,755 in 2022, and 3,072 in 2023. However, the number of arrests dropped to 1,673 in 2024 (till date). As for convictions, J&K reported a total of 4 convictions during the same period. There wa...

Feb42025 by News DeskNo Comments

What’s getting cheaper and costlier in Budget 2025? Full breakdown

BUSINESS

Imported life-saving drugs, including those for cancer and chronic diseases, alongside high-end imported cars and motorcycles, are set to become cheaper following cuts in customs duties announced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in the Union Budget for 2025-26. However, certain items like interactive flat-panel displays and knitted fabrics will see price hikes due to increased basic customs duties. Here’s the revised list of what will get costlier and cheaper: Cheaper: - Imported motorcycles (CBU) with engine capacity up to 1600cc - Motorcycles (SKD) with engine capacity up to 1600cc - Motorcycles (CKD) with engine capacity up to 1600cc - Imported motorcycles (CBU, SKD, and CKD) with engine capacity above 1600cc - Imported vehicles for the transport of 10 or m...

Feb42025 by News DeskNo Comments

‘A son’s heartbreaking plea’: Healthcare workers in Jammu Kashmir endure isolation and neglect

WRITE-UPS

Meer Irfan For over a decade, healthcare workers recruited under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) have been serving in some of the most remote and challenging areas of Jammu Kashmir, including Uri, Kupwara, and Ladakh. Families of the workers told The Kashmiriyat that despite their unwavering dedication to serving marginalized communities, they continue to endure prolonged isolation, harsh climates, and separation from their families, taking a severe toll on their mental, emotional, and physical well-being. One of these workers, a resident of Hajin, Bandipora, has been posted at Sub-District Hospital Uri for nearly two decades. His son, Faisal Javaid Khan highlighted the distress his family has been facing due to his father’s prolonged absence. "My father, an employee o...

Feb42025 by News DeskNo Comments

Cop Arrested for Drug Peddling, Heroin Recovered: Police

REGIONAL

A team of Jammu Kashmir Police led by its SHO, while conducting a routine patrolling and checking duty near SKPA Udhampur, intercepted a suspicious individual on the evening of February 4, 2025. The suspect, identified as Michael Jackson, a Special Police Officer (SPO) posted at the District Police Lines (DPL) Udhampur, attempted to flee upon noticing the police presence but was swiftly apprehended by the officers. Upon frisking, the police recovered 5.95 grams of a substance resembling heroin from Jackson's possession. The substance was seized, and Jackson was arrested at the scene. A case (FIR No. 41/2025) has been registered under sections 8, 21, and 22 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act at Police Station Udhampur. The investigation is ongoing, and ...