Friday, February 7News and updates from Kashmir

Month: February 2025

‘In Kashmir, peace prevails after 370 abrogation, not graves’: BJP leader counters Aga Ruhullah’s claims

‘In Kashmir, peace prevails after 370 abrogation, not graves’: BJP leader counters Aga Ruhullah’s claims

REGIONAL
Senior BJP leader and Jammu & Kashmir spokesperson Altaf Thakur launched a strong rebuttal against National Conference MP Aga Syed Ruhullah’s recent comments, where Ruhullah claimed that the abrogation of Article 370 had “choked Jammu & Kashmir’s economy” and increased threats to Muslims across India. Thakur dismissed Ruhullah’s statements, asserting, “Not a single new grave was dug due to violence after the abrogation of special status.” He emphasized that since the revocation of Article 370 in August 2019, the region has seen a significant reduction in violence and militancy, leading to a period of peace and stability. “Today, peace prevails throughout Jammu and Kashmir. The fear and unrest that plagued the region for decades have been replaced by hope, stability, and secur...
Cancer cases on rise in Jammu Kashmir: Over 13,000 new cases reported annually

Cancer cases on rise in Jammu Kashmir: Over 13,000 new cases reported annually

REGIONAL
The number of cancer patients in Jammu Kashmir is steadily increasing, with an estimated 12,000 to 13,000 new cases being reported every year. While this rise is concerning, medical professionals note a positive trend—more patients are now seeking treatment at the first stage of the disease. Government data available with the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) reveals that in 2019, 12,396 new cancer patients were registered across Jammu and Kashmir. This number has seen a gradual increase over the years: 12,726 cases in 2020, 13,060 in 2021, 13,395 in 2022, and over 13,000 cases in both 2023 and 2024. Among these, approximately 20 percent of patients are now arriving for treatment at the initial stage, improving their chances of effective treatment. In 2024, major hospital...
‘Born to verse, Bound to Kashmir’: Zai Doh Mubarak, Agha Shahid Ali

‘Born to verse, Bound to Kashmir’: Zai Doh Mubarak, Agha Shahid Ali

WRITE-UPS
Sumit Garg For centuries, Kashmir has captivated poets, its landscapes immortalized in verse. However, the poetic portrayal of Kashmir has undergone a profound shift, reflecting the socio-political turmoil that has gripped the region. The partition of 1947, subsequent wars, and prolonged conflict have transformed the identity of Kashmiris, often forcing them to choose between multiple ideologies unwillingly.  This shift has also altered the thematic focus of Kashmiri poetry—from mysticism and nature to conflict and displacement. Agha Shahid Ali emerges as a crucial figure in this transformation, chronicling the heartbreak of exile and the erasure of cultural memory through his poetry. Born in Delhi and raised in Srinagar, Agha Shahid Ali later moved to the United States, where ...
CIK detains 5 suspects on charges of providing sim cards to jailed militants

CIK detains 5 suspects on charges of providing sim cards to jailed militants

REGIONAL
Sleuths of Counter Intelligence Kashmir (CIK) on Tuesday detained five suspects involved in transporting and smuggling sim cards to militants lodged in different jails. In a statement to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), a police spokesman said, “Today on 04.02.2025 in connection with the investigation of case FIR No. 06/2023 u/s 153-A, 505, 121 & 120-B IPC r/w 13 & 39 UA (P) Act of Police Station CI-K, five individuals were detained for interrogation/questioning for their involvement in a criminal conspiracy hatched with anti-national elements aiming at procuring /transportation/ smuggling of SIM cards inside the Central Jail premises for its use bythe jail inmates which include those involved in terrorism and Narco-terrorism." “Pertinently, P/S CIK had earlier ca...
Winter of loss: Two months of isolation and the silent grief of Kashmiri Pandit after muslim friend’s passing

Winter of loss: Two months of isolation and the silent grief of Kashmiri Pandit after muslim friend’s passing

CULTURE, WRITE-UPS
Meer Irfan It has been two months since Anwar passed away, and winter in Shopian remains unchanged—cold, quiet, and heavy with absence. Chaman Lal, who once loved soaking in the winter sun, now rarely steps out of his house. The warmth he once enjoyed feels distant, replaced by an emptiness that lingers in the crisp February air. Anwar, a resident of Zainapora, passed away on December 10, 2024. His son, Ghulam Mohammed Mir, confirmed the news over the phone to The Kashmiriyat. Four days after his passing, a local resident helped Chaman Lal visit the place he had longed to see one last time. As he stood there, his voice broke: "I have lost the friend of my life." Those around him could not hold back their tears. Their story, one of resilience and unwavering friendship, had be...
If militancy has ended in Kashmir, incidents like Kulgam attack shouldn’t happen: Farooq Abdullah

If militancy has ended in Kashmir, incidents like Kulgam attack shouldn’t happen: Farooq Abdullah

REGIONAL
The National Conference president Farooq Abdullah on Sunday questioned the central government’s claims that terrorism has been eradicated in Jammu and Kashmir and said if militancy has ended, incidents like the Kulgam terror attack should not happen. Abdullah also criticised those claiming victory in the Delhi elections, emphasising that the decision lies with the country’s people, not with him or his colleague Sakina Itoo. Referring to the terror attack in Kulgam on Monday that left an ex-serviceman dead and two women including his wife injured, the former J-K chief minister questioned the government’s assertion of having eradicated militancy. “Ask those who claim that militancy has ended. If incidents like this happen, ask them where their claim has gone. Everyday, they make sta...
Kulgam killing: In silence of loss, Demand for Justice the loudest

Kulgam killing: In silence of loss, Demand for Justice the loudest

OTHERS, REGIONAL
A pall of gloom descended on Behibagh village in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district on Monday as the mortal remains of ex-serviceman Manzoor Ahmed Wagey, survived by five children, reached his native village following an attack on his family by unknown gunmen. As his body arrived, grief-stricken villagers gathered to mourn the loss, with an atmosphere of sorrow gripping the area. Women wailed, and men stood in silence, struggling to come to terms with the tragedy. Speaking to the media, Waghey's brother, voice and eyes filled with emotion, told media persons as per news agency JKNS, "My brother Manzoor Ahmad is no longer with us. We only want justice. He was at home at the time of the incident because he retired from service in 2021." Recalling the heartbreaking moment, he said, "My ...
Around 500 detained in Kashmir following Kulgam attack: Report

Around 500 detained in Kashmir following Kulgam attack: Report

REGIONAL
In a massive crackdown following the recent terror attack in Kulgam, Jammu Kashmir Police have detained over 500 Over Ground Workers (OGWs), suspects, terror associates, and individuals with past involvement in terror activities during overnight raids across the Kashmir valley, Srinagar based news agency KDC reported. The detentions come in the wake of Monday’s attack in the Behibagh area of Kulgam, where militants fired at three civilians from point-blank range, critically injuring them. Among the victims, Manzoor Ahmad Wagay, a former Territorial Army soldier, succumbed to his injuries while undergoing treatment at a hospital. His wife, Aaina Akhtar (32), and a minor girl, Sania Hameed (13), sustained leg injuries and are reported to be in stable condition. A senior police offic...
CRPF trooper dies of cardiac arrest in Kulgam area

CRPF trooper dies of cardiac arrest in Kulgam area

REGIONAL
Danishwar Hameed A Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) man posted in the Kulgam district of south Kashmir died of cardiac arrest. An official told The Kashmiriyat that on Tuesday morning, a CRPF personal posted with the E/37th of the CRPF at Nillow complained of chest pain, after which he was referred to the nearby hospital. Identified as Vishnoo, a resident of Gujarat, the CRPF man was declared brought dead upon arrival at the hospital. Meanwhile police have taken cognizance of the incident.
Badhaal village returns to normal after weeks of fear over mysterious deaths

Badhaal village returns to normal after weeks of fear over mysterious deaths

REGIONAL
After weeks of fear and uncertainty following 17 mysterious deaths, including 13 children from three related families, the remote village of Badhaal in Jammu Kashmir is slowly returning to normalcy. The tragic deaths, which occurred between December 7, 2024, and January 19, 2025, had shaken the tight-knit community, prompting authorities to impose strict quarantine measures Over 300 villagers remain quarantined at a hospital in Rajouri, 55 kilometers from Badhaal, where strict surveillance, including CCTV monitoring of food preparation, has been implemented. The Assistant District Development Commissioner (Kotranaka) confirmed that no new cases have emerged in the last three weeks, and all previously ill patients have recovered and been discharged. Despite the apparent containm...