REGIONAL

A court in Srinagar has sentenced an individual caught for public drunkenness to three days of community service instead of imposing a traditional penalty. The accused, Mohammad Shafi Najar, a resident of Srinagar, was found intoxicated and creating a public nuisance in violation of Section 355 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). After reviewing the case, the court directed him to perform cleanliness and hygiene-related community service at public spaces in Bhagat Barzulla for three days. As per the order, Najar must report his daily activities to the local Mohalla president and the concerned Station House Officer (SHO), who will submit a compliance report to the court. Srinagar police welcomed the ruling, stating that the new criminal laws emphasize corrective over punitive ...

Days after Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq met members of the displaced Kashmiri Pandits to discuss their return to the valley, Panun Kashmir – a prominent group representing the community – on Saturday dismissed the reconciliatory efforts as “meaningless”. The group said the struggle for a separate homeland within Kashmir where Kashmiri Hindus live with dignity will continue till “justice is served”. Mirwaiz, who is also a prominent cleric in the Kashmir Valley, recently met members of a Kashmiri Pandit group, J&K Peace Forum, in Delhi as part of renewed push to resettle the community which is living in exile in different parts of the country over the past three decades, following the eruption of militancy in the 1980s. “Panun Kashmir made it clear that there...

Srinagar interiors have been left in darkness following the installation of smart meters, as most streetlights have become defunct, triggering inconvenience and safety concerns among residents. According to locals, the agency responsible for installing smart meters uprooted existing streetlights during the process but failed to restore them. The agency reportedly shifted responsibility to the Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC), claiming it was their job to reinstall the lights. However, SMC, in turn, has passed the buck to the Power Development Department (PDD), which has distanced itself from the issue. Residents complain that despite repeated appeals, no concrete solution has been provided. "Ever since these smart meters were installed, our streets have remained in complete...

Kashmiri separatist leader Nayeem Ahmad Khan has approached the Delhi High Court challenging a series of circulars issued by the prison authorities, alleging that they have arbitrarily withdrawn his phone call and e-mulaqat facilities. Khan has contested the validity of circulars issued by the Director General (Prisons) on September 2, 2022, December 26, 2022, April 22, 2024, and May 22, 2024. He claims these directives are arbitrary and violate Section 49 of the Delhi Prisons Act, 2000, as well as Rules 629 to 633 of the Delhi Prisons Rules, 2018. In judicial custody since August 14, 2017, Khan was arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on July 24, 2017, in a Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) case, with allegations of "creating unrest" in the Kashmir Valley...

Jammu Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday expressed concern about the health condition of Baramulla Lok Sabha member Sheikh Abdul Rashid alias Engineer, who is on an indefinite hunger strike. "Very concerned to hear about Engineer Rashid having to be shifted to hospital. It is imperative that authorities take proper care & ensure that his condition does not deteriorate while the court arrives at a considered decision on his bail plea," Abdullah posted on his X handle. He was reacting to reports about the Lok Sabha member being shifted to Ram Manohar Lohia hospital after his health condition deteriorated. The politician has been on a hunger strike since January 31 for not being allowed to attend Parliament, which is currently in session. (PTI)

The Delhi High Court on Friday reserved the order on an application moved by Baramulla MP Engineer Rashid seeking custody parole to attend ongoing parliament session amidst jurisdictional row. However, the National Investigation Agency (NIA), while opposing the custody parole, stated that Rashid Engineer does not need to respond to any questions. They emphasized that this request is generic and pointed out that Engineer has no speech to deliver. Senior Advocate Sidharth Luthra appeared for NIA also argued that taking an oath and campaigning are separate matters, but their authority to grant parole is limited. He also highlighted that the matter involves third-party norms, which fall outside the jurisdiction of the NIA. NIA further pointed out that Engineer would need to be e...

Rayees Shah Scores of women of Gangerhama, area of central Kashmir's Ganderbal district on Friday hit the streets and protest against the ban on extracting sand and gravel from Nallah Sindh. The protesters demanded lifting of the ban on extracting sand and gravel from the Nallah Sindh and said that thousands of families of the area depend on it. One of the protesting women said that they did not have any other source of income. "We raise our childrens by doing this work now as the administration bans it. Where can we go? We will die empty stomachs as it is the only source of income for our families." She also said that the locals are ready to pay for the work they do in Nallah Sindh but are not ready for that. The protesting residents blocked traffic for hours in view of the...

Jammu, Feb 7: Thirty-eight patients, who were admitted to different hospitals after falling ill due to a mysterious illness at Badhaal village in J-K's Rajouri district, have been discharged after complete recovery, officials said. Currently, 363 individuals from 60 families remain quarantined in various facilities across Rajouri, they informed a meeting of health professionals and police personnel chaired by Chief Secretary Atal Dullo on Thursday. The mysterious illness has claimed 17 lives from three families in Badhaal between December 7 and January 19. Health Secretary Syed Abid Rashid Shah briefed the meeting, stating that every measure has been taken to isolate the affected families and provide them with food and water after testing. "Out of the 55 symptomatic persons, 38...

Srinagar residents have expressed concern over the growing number of underage riders on city roads, despite a police ban following the fatal Tengapora accident. The authorities had prohibited minors from driving two-wheelers after the tragedy, but reports indicate that young, unlicensed riders are once again flouting the rules. Eyewitnesses have spotted minors recklessly riding Scooties, often carrying three pillion passengers, particularly in the Raj Bagh area. Concerned citizens have urged the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Traffic to take strict action against not only the offenders but also their parents, holding them accountable for allowing their children to violate traffic laws. With road safety at stake, residents fear that continued negligence could lead to more...

A 25-year-old man from the Perody area of Billawar in Jammu Kashmir's Kathua district was found dead at his home on Thursday morning, shortly after being questioned by the police over alleged links with militants. The incident has sparked controversy, with former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti alleging custodial torture, while the police maintain that the man died by suicide. The deceased, identified as Makhan Din, was reportedly picked up for questioning on suspicion of being an Over Ground Worker (OGW) and later released. https://twitter.com/takfirdous/status/1887555676630618194?t=3eWSFA3DSP8qqH_T1BpyCg&s=08 In a video recorded before his death, Makhan is heard saying, "I have never seen militants in my life. I am being forced to confess since they have been constantly tor...