REGIONAL

The Hajj Committee of India has announced the start of filing of applications for Hajj pilgrimage from today. The Committee, falling under Ministry of Minority Affairs, has informed that the Hajj-2024 will be organised under Hajj Policy-2023, dated 29.11.2023. “The process of filing of applications for Haj-2024 through Haj Committee of India shall commence online from 04.12.2023 and will close on 20.12.2023”, reads the notification, as per news agency Kashmir Scroll. “The application forms, the notification reads, can be filled and submitted online at website of Haj Committee of India http://hajcommittee.gov.in or through the android mobile App ‘Haj Suvidha’.” “Applicants are advised to read the Guidelines/Undertaking carefully before filling Haj Application Forms. Machine read...

The night temperature has recorded a further dip in Kashmir as the mercury settled below freezing point at multiple places. Officials in local Meteorological department told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that Pahalgam was coldest at minus 3.4 degree Celsius. The mercury also settled below freezing point at several places including Qazigund, Kupwara and Gulmarg. In Kupwara, the mercury settled at minus 2.5 degree Celsius while Kokernag recorded a low of 0.8 degree Celsius. Gulmarg, a famous ski-resort was the second coldest at minus 3.0 degree Celsius while Qazigund in South Kashmir recorded a low of minus 0.4 degree Celsius. Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir has recorded a minimum temperature of 0.7 degree Celsius. According to weatherman, th...

massive fire broke out in a residential locality on Kanlibagh Baba Reshi Road Baramulla in which a furniture factory and five residential houses were gutted and property worth crores of rupees was reduced to ashes on Sunday late evening. Reports reaching News Agency Kashmir Scroll said that a fire broke out at a furniture factory of Farooq Ahmad Najar in a residential locality on Kanlibagh Baba Reshi road which spread to nearby residential houses in jiffy in which the factory and five residential houses were destroyed. An official told News Agency Kashmir Scroll that the fire was put under control by the joint efforts of fire tenders, local police and army. He said no loss of life or injury was reported in the mishap. (KS)

A court in Jammu Kashmir has granted bail to the seven Kashmiris booked for celebrating India's loss against Australia in the final match of the world cup final at Ahmedabad. According to news reports, the court in Ganderbal on Saturday granted bail to seven Kashmiri students who were arrested for allegedly celebrating India’s defeat in World Cup and intimidating few colleges at SKUAST- Ganderbal. It is also being reported that the police have dropped UAPA charges against these students. Former chief Minister of Jammu Kashmir, Mehbooba Mufti has welcomed the dropping of UAPA charges stating, "Glad to know that UAPA charges against SKUAST students have been dropped. Finally good sense has prevailed & their future saved from jeopardy." This is breaking news. Refresh the page ...

Jammu Kashmir Police on Saturday claimed to have  solved the murder case in Sopore, apprehending the wife and her boyfriend as the primary suspects. According to official sources relayed by the Kashmir Despatch news agency, the investigation commenced after Reyaz Ahmad Mir, 50, was reported missing by his family on Friday morning. After an extensive search, his body was discovered in a water-filled trench. Subsequently, the authorities promptly arrested the wife and her boyfriend, marking a swift conclusion to the investigation. A comprehensive briefing by the police on this case is scheduled for tomorrow, and currently, both the wife and her boyfriend remain in custody.

The cases of HIV/AIDS are increasing with each passing year in Jammu Kashmir, as a total of 6,305 patients have tested positive in the region from 1998 until October 2023. A top health official informed the news agency Kashmir News Observer that 1,452 HIV-positive patients have died since 1998 until October 2023, while 3,583 patients are living on Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART). He added that 521 patients have left follow-up. He said that 5,154 cases of HIV have been reported at GMC Jammu, and among them, 1,274 have died, 470 have left follow-up, and 2,782 are living on ART. Similarly, at SKIMS Srinagar, the number of patients registered in HIV care till October 2023 is 776, with 152 deaths, 35 leaving follow-up, and 473 living on ART, he added. In ART Kathua, the number of pati...

Police today said that it has taken cognizance against 6 individuals for the propagation of false information about the latest ‘sensitive content’ posted by a student at NIT Srinagar. Srinagar Police & Cyber Police Kashmir have taken cognizance against 06 individuals for propagation of false information, instigating content inciting disaffection & anti-social propaganda on social media platforms. Legal action under relevant sections of law has been taken,” police said in a tweet and appealed common public to desist from posting, sharing, propagating instigative, provocative content, misinformation, anti-social propaganda & rumour mongering on social media. Earlier, Jammu Kashmir's Director General of Police (DGP) RR Swain emphasized strict actions against social media ...

Kashmir's Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) Soura has witnessed a troubling surge in cancer cases. This year, over 4,000 new cases were reported, adding to the staggering tally of 44,112 cases registered since 2014. Yearly statistics reveal an escalating trend: 3,940 cases in 2014 rose steadily to 5,294 in 2022. However, these figures might not fully depict the actual magnitude of cancer cases in Kashmir. Many diagnosed patients seek treatment outside the region, traveling to cities like Punjab, Mumbai, Delhi, among others. Notably, lung cancer predominantly afflicts men, while breast cancer incidence is on the rise among women. Experts attribute this surge to multiple factors including smoking, family history, obesity, and age. The Union Health Ministr...

Police, in a statement, said that one local militant of the Lashkar-e-Taiba militant outfit was killed in a gunfight at Arihal village in south Kashmir's Pulwama district. A police spokesman told News Agency Kashmir Scroll that, acting on specific intelligence regarding the presence of militants in Arihal village, Pulwama, a joint cordon and search operation was launched by the Pulwama Police, Army (44RR), and CRPF (182Bn) in the area. During the search operation, the joint team encountered indiscriminate firing from the hiding militant. The security forces effectively retaliated, leading to an encounter. In the ensuing exchange, the terrorist, identified as Kifayat Ayoub Alie, son of Mohd Ayoub Alie, a resident of Pinjoora Shopian, associated with the proscribed outfit LeT, wa...

An encounter raged between militants and government forces in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district. Official sources told The Kashmiriyat that on Thursday afternoon, a joint team of Police, Army and CRPF launched a joint cordon and search operation in the Arihal Pulwama area During the search, militants fired upon the force personnel, which was retaliated, triggering an encounter. One militant has been killed so far during the firing, they said. As per the sources, two to three militants are believed to be trapped in the area.