REGIONAL

Peoples Democratic Party leader Iltija Mufti Wednesday asked the elected government to act swiftly over the termination of government employees in Jammu Kashmir. https://youtu.be/5GkxKPTi5BA?feature=shared It is very unfortunate that employees are being terminated on flimsy charges, she said while talking to reporters outside PDP headquarters in Srinagar. Iltija Mufti said that the deafening silence of the elected government on the termination of employees is very unfortunate. “This is a popular elected government and it should take the subjected very seriously and act on it,” she said. Iltija Mufti also alleged that the proposed railway line from Pulwama via Awantipora-Bijbehara to Pahalgam will deprive the farmers of their livelihood as the agricultural land will be taken awa...

The Counter Intelligence Kashmir (CIK) wing of the Jammu Kashmir Police launched a massive search operation at Central Jail Srinagar on Tuesday morning as part of an ongoing probe into suspected ties between inmates and anti-national elements. The operation aims to uncover crucial evidence, curb illicit activities, and prevent the misuse of communication devices, such as mobile phones, within the high-security prison. A team from CIK, assisted by jail authorities, searched multiple barracks, recovering several mobile phones used for unauthorized communication. The jail authorities are collaborating closely with CIK to ensure a thorough investigation. (CNS)

Militants hurled two grenades at an Army post in Poonch district of Jammu Kashmir early Wednesday, officials said. Only one of the grenades exploded. There were no casualties in the attack. Security forces have launched a search operation to trace the militants, the officials said. Terrorists lobbed two grenades at an Army post behind an Army camp in the Surankote area. While one of them exploded, the other did not and was subsequently defused by experts during the search operation, they said. (PTI)

The recently revised reservation policy for postgraduate medical seats in Jammu Kashmir has sparked widespread criticism for drastically reducing the open merit quota to mere 29 per cent. Medical aspirants have expressed concern that this decision could undermine meritocracy and adversely impact healthcare delivery in the region. In a press release to The Kashmiriyat, the aspirants highlighted challenges posed by the All-India Quota (AIQ) system, under which half of J-K’s postgraduate medical seats are pooled. "Over the past three years, this has resulted in nearly 300 seats annually being filled by non-domicile students, many of whom leave the state after completing their degrees," the statement added. The students called for introducing a mandatory service bond for MD and MS ...

Jammu  Kashmir experienced a sharp dip in temperatures today as the cold wave continued to tighten its grip across the region. In the Kashmir Valley, the mercury plummeted to sub-zero levels in most areas, with Zojila recording the lowest temperature at a bone-chilling -17.0°C. In Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, the minimum temperature was recorded at -2.0°C, while tourist hotspots such as Gulmarg and Pahalgam witnessed -3.5°C and -4.8°C, respectively. Sonamarg followed closely at -3.7°C, and Anantnag shivered at -3.9°C. Kupwara, Bandipora, and Pulwama also reported biting cold conditions with temperatures dipping to -1.2°C, -2.3°C, and -4.7°C, respectively. Meanwhile, Kokernag stayed slightly above freezing at 0.4°C, providing a rare respite in the valley. ...

The Kashmir Power Distribution Corporation Limited (KPDCL) has said it achieved a significant milestone by enrolling over two lakh consumers into its prepaid metering system. "This system empowers consumers with better control over electricity consumption by allowing them to recharge their meters as needed and pay only for the power they use," an official statement of the corporation read. In a press statement, Shabir A. Khan, Chief Executive Officer of IT&C at KPDCL, outlined the benefits of prepaid billing. “Prepaid meters enable users to monitor daily consumption through the Bill Sahuliyat app and manage their expenses effectively, avoiding unexpected high bills. This is a step forward in improving consumer satisfaction,” Khan said while appreciating his team’s efforts. KPD...

Meer Irfan The Government Primary School in Beebrada, located in the Yaripora belt of south Kashmir's Kulgam district, has been operating under dire conditions for years. The school, which was established in 1984, originally functioned in a rented mud building. Over time, the building became unsafe and was dismantled by its owners. For the past two years, the school has been forced to operate under the open sky. A student shared their plight with The Kashmiriyat, saying, "I’ve been studying outside for years. We hope we finally get a proper building soon." The lack of basic facilities has left both students and teachers struggling. "Without a toilet, the students and teachers both have to rely on neighbors for access to washrooms," a parent explained. Inhabitants of Beebr...

A Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militant, allegedly involved in the October attack near a tunnel construction site in Gagangir, Jammu and Kashmir, was killed in an encounter with security forces in the Dachigam forest area on Tuesday, officials said. According to police, the militant, identified as Junaid Ahmed Bhat, was a category “A” operative of the group. He was wanted for his alleged involvement in the October 20 attack that claimed the lives of a local doctor and six non-local laborers in Ganderbal. Security forces launched a cordon-and-search operation in the upper reaches of Dachigam late Monday night based on specific intelligence inputs. The operation escalated into a gunfight when militants opened fire at the search party. In the ensuing exchange of fire early Tuesday, Bhat was...

Jammu Kashmir Police has detained two female militant associates (OGWs) under the Public Safety Act (PSA). Police identified the duo as Maryama Begum wife of  Mohammed Shafeeq, resident of  Loudhara, Basantgarh and Arshad Begum wife of  Late Jamal Din, a resident of Rai Chak, Basantgarh. "They were assessed to be posing a significant threat to the safety and security of the state," Police said. These militants associates were found to be involved in providing logistics support to terrorist groups and working as guide/facilitator for militant organisations. Their continuous actions posed a serious risk to public safety and tranquility. To prevent further criminal activities detrimental to the security of the state and keeping in view their activities both were ordered to be d...

A trooper on tuesday shot himself dead in south Kashmir's Shopian district. Official sources told the news agency Kashmir News Trust that a CRPF personnel affiliated with E-178 Battalion shot himself with his service rifle. He died on the spot. They said the deceased was a driver. The incident occurred at Company Head Quarter located at Horticulture Building in Zainapora village of Shopian. Police have started inquest proceedings after the incident. [KNT]