REGIONAL

Suhail Dar A Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) constable passed away during patrol duty late last night in Mattan, Anantnag, reportedly due to a cardiac arrest. Officials told The Kashmiriyat that the constable, identified as Azad Ahmad Najar of the CRPF’s B/96 Battalion, collapsed during his night shift, between 11:00 PM and 1:00 AM. According to officials, he lost consciousness around 12:35 AM while patrolling the camp area. Fellow personnel on duty responded immediately, rushing Najar to the Primary Health Centre (PHC) in Mattan for emergency medical care. Despite their efforts, doctors at the health centre declared him dead upon arrival. The CRPF authorities have expressed their grief and extended heartfelt condolences to Najar’s family.

Kashmir recorded a significant drop in temperatures today, with Anantnag and Pulwama shivering at -6.3°C each, while Srinagar recorded a low of -4.1°C. The cold wave tightened its grip across the Kashmir Valley, with Shopian emerging as the coldest location at -6.6°C, followed closely by Larnoo at -7.0°C. Popular tourist destinations also experienced biting cold, with Pahalgam recording -6.5°C and Sonamarg at -6.2°C. Gulmarg, a renowned winter resort, registered -4.3°C. In north Kashmir, Bandipora and Kupwara recorded minimums of -4.6°C and -3.4°C, respectively. In the Jammu region, the plains stayed relatively warmer, with Jammu city recording 8.6°C, while higher altitudes such as Banihal and Padder witnessed freezing conditions at -2.6°C and -8.4°C, respectively. Bhaderwah recor...

The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has called on the government to address ambiguities surrounding the construction of the Galander-Pampore-Narbal ring road and associated satellite townships. PDP Chief Spokesman Mehboob Beg expressed concerns over the project's impact on agricultural and horticultural land, questioning the purpose and intended beneficiaries of the satellite townships. "Who are these townships for, and have affected landowners been notified?" he asked during a press conference. Beg highlighted a 2014 Jammu Kashmir Housing Board order that detailed plans for satellite townships on either side of the ring road, imposing a 500-meter construction prohibition, resulting in a 1-kilometer no-build zone. "It is our right to know what is happening," he said, calling for t...

Ganderbal Press Association has elected a new body after conducting fresh polls on Thursday. The elections were conducted at Auditorium of Govt Degree College Ganderbal. Ten candidates were in the fray. Out of 36 total votes, one vote was not polled. Ayaz Sofi of PTI & Times now was elected the new president of the Association while others who were elected to different posts included Vice President Raja Syed Rather of ANI & KNO, General Secretary Sabik Of Kashmir Crown, Treasurer Basit Farooq of The Kashmiriyat and Young bites & Spokesperson Hadi Hidayat. After being elected to the new post, President Sofi Ayaz assured that the Ganderbal Press Association would stand for genuine Journalists of the district through thick and thin. The newly elected president, vice pr...

Authorities in South Kashmir’s Shopian district took a significant step in curbing militancy by attaching the property of an active militant in the Wanduna Melhoora area of Zainapora on Thursday, Kashmir News Observer reported. According to officials, the action targeted Adnan Shafi Dar, a resident of Wanduna who had reportedly joined militant ranks and was implicated in the killing of a non-local individual. The attachment was executed under Section 25 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UA(P) Act) as part of a case registered under FIR number 94/2024 at the Zainapora Police Station. The operation was carried out in the presence of the concerned Executive Magistrate. Officials described the move as a decisive step in the ongoing campaign against militancy, aiming to h...

On the 42nd Foundation Day of Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), Chief Minister Omar Abdullah promised a comprehensive revival of the institute. In a heartfelt speech, he outlined measures to restore its autonomy, address staff shortages, and upgrade facilities. His commitment to reviving Sheikh Abdullah’s vision for the premier healthcare institution struck a chord with the staff and attendees. Omar Abdullah reflected on his family’s personal connection to SKIMS, narrating a critical moment when his father, Dr. Farooq Abdullah, chose to stay at SKIMS instead of seeking treatment outside the region during the COVID-19 pandemic. "Prime Minister Modi suggested transferring my father to Delhi, but he trusted SKIMS, saying it was better equipped," Omar shared. He cr...

The Union government on Wednesday informed that Jammu Kashmir generates 16,282.93 million units of electricity through renewable energy but received no funds under the Central Financial Assistance (CFA) scheme for the year 2023-24 As per news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), the data provided by the Minister of State for New & Renewable Energy and Power, Jammu and Kashmir generated 16,282.93 million units of electricity from renewable sources during 2023-24, of which 15,874.24 million units were produced from large hydro and 408.69 million units from small hydro. The data also indicates that the Union Territory did not produce any electricity through wind, solar, biomass, bagasse, or other sources during the same period. It added that the Union Territory did not receive any...

The cold wave in Jammu Kashmir intensified further today, with Anantnag recording a frigid -5.0°C and Srinagar dipping to -2.1°C. In the Kashmir Valley, Shopian was the coldest at -5.5°C, followed closely by Pahalgam at -5.3°C and Larnoo at -5.2°C. Zojila witnessed the lowest temperature across the region at a freezing -18.0°C, highlighting the harsh winter conditions in upper altitudes. Other parts of the valley, such as Pulwama (-5.0°C), Sonamarg (-4.9°C), and Bandipora (-3.7°C), also experienced biting cold. In the Jammu region, temperatures remained relatively higher, with Jammu city recording 8.6°C, while Banihal and Bhaderwah saw much colder conditions at 1.2°C and 1.0°C, respectively. Ladakh faced severe cold as well, with Kargil and Leh recording -9.8°C and -9.6°C. Auth...

Militants on Wednesday evening fired upon a armyan who was in leave in Tral area of South Kashmir’s Awantipora. A top police officer told GNS that militants this evening fired upon a army soldier who was on leave and had came home. He received bullet wound in leg and was immediately evacuated to hospital for treatment. His condition is stated to be stable, the officer added. Soon after the incident whole area has been cordoned off by the security forces to nab the attackers.(GNS)

National Conference (NC) senior leader and MLA Pahalgam, Altaf Kaloo, has appealed to the Union Minister of Railways, Ashwini Vaishnaw, to include Anantnag as a designated stop for the upcoming Delhi-Srinagar Vande Bharat Express. The much-anticipated Vande Bharat Sleeper train is set to commence operations in January 2025, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi expected to flag off the inaugural journey. Taking to the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), he posted, 'Urging Hon Minister of Railways @AshwiniVaishnaw to kindly consider adding Anantnag as a stoppage for the upcoming Delhi-Sgr Vande Bharat Express, scheduled for launch in 2025. This step will greatly benefit the people of South Kmr & boost regional connectivity." The proposal has sparked discussions among local ...