REGIONAL

Danishwar Hameed Three persons injured after the collision of two cars in Bugam area of Kulgam on Monday afternoon. Officials speaking to The Kashmiriyat identified the trio as Muneeb Javid s/o Javid Ahmad Bhat resident of Laroo Kulgam, Danish Iqbal s/o Mohd Iqbal Bhat resident of Laroo Kulgam and Mehran Hasan s/o Ghulam Hassan Dar resident of Poniwah Kulgam. Soon after the accident,  the injured were rushed to District hospital Kulgam, where doctors referred them to GMC Anantnag for further treatment. More details awaited.

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), which operates under the Government of India, has announced an average toll hike of 5 percent starting Monday. According to a senior NHAI official, the new toll rates will now be implemented from June 3, 2024. This annual revision is aligned with changes in the wholesale price index (CPI)-based inflation, which influences user fee adjustments, the government official said. India's extensive national highway network features approximately 855 toll plazas. Of these, around 675 are publicly funded, while the remaining 180 are operated by concessionaires.

Dead body of sledge operator went missing while two tourists were rescued after they fell into Thajwas glacier in Sonamarg area of Central Kashmir's Ganderbal district has been retrieved on Monday. An official told News Agency Kashmir Scroll that on Sunday two tourists along with a sledge operator who were on Sonamarg trip while reaching Thajwas glacier fell into it. He said soon after the incident their colleagues and people present there rescued tourists identified as Sakishi Agarwal and her husband Aasaaqat from Uttar Pradesh. He said that the seldge operator went missing and the rescue operation of the police, army, SDRF was going on since Sunday and today his body has been retrieved. Meanwhile further proceedings in this regard have been taken up.(KS)

Meer Irfan An encounter has raged between government forces and militants in the Pulwama district of south Kashmir. Officials said that during the intervening night, government forces including Indian Army's RR, Police and CRPF, following input about militant presence, launched a cordon and search operation in the Nihama area of Pulwama. During the gunfight, the trapped militants opened fire on forces, to which the forces retaliated. As per the latest reports, the operation is going on.

Former Jammu Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti has appealed to the Ministry of External Affairs to facilitate the return of the body of Kabir Khan, a resident of Rajouri, who died in a road accident in Saudi Arabia. The PDP leader highlighted that Kabir Khan had been employed as a laborer in Saudi Arabia when the tragic incident occurred. "Kabir Khan from Rajouri, working as a laborer in Saudi Arabia, lost his life in a tragic road accident. His family is awaiting the return of his mortal remains. I urge @MEAIndia and @DrSJaishankar to address this matter urgently to repatriate his body. The nearest contact for the deceased in Saudi Arabia is Kafeel at +966550568146," Mufti shared on X. In a different post, Mufti expressed her condolences for the sixteen individuals who died i...

Rayees Shah Two tourists were rescued by locals and police after a section of a glacier unexpectedly broke off at the famous tourist resort Sonamarg in central Kashmir's Ganderbal district. Officials informed The Kashmiriyat that the incident occurred in Sonamarg when some tourists were near Thajwas Glacier. A portion of the glacier suddenly collapsed, causing two tourists and one local to fall into the ice. The two tourists were promptly rescued by locals and the tourist police present at the scene. However, one local person (a sledge rider) is still missing. He is believed to be a resident of the Haknar Gund area of Ganderbal. Sonamarg police, along with locals, have launched a search operation to rescue the missing individual.

Jammu Kashmir’s Police chief R R Swain Saturday said that the focus of militancy in the Union Territory has shifted from “resident militancy to foreign militancy” as the number of local ‘militants’ active is miniscule. The Director General of Police (DGP) however, said that foreign terrorism is “emerging as a challenge” given the fact that these terrorists infiltrate with a “poisoned and intoxicated ideology” to instill fear and to kill defenceless ciilians. Talking to reporters on the side-lines of a function in Jammu, the DGP, said that some four-five years ago, the number of local terrorists’ active was between 150 to 200 which has come down drastically to just 20-22. “The security challenges at present are overwhelmingly external. Even though foreign element was present there ...

A 26-year-old youth from the Shakwara area of North Kashmir’s Baramulla district tragically passed away at Delhi’s DDU Hospital yesterday after suffering a heatstroke during the record-breaking heatwave in the national capital. Identified as Younis Nazir, son of Nazir Ahmad Malla of Jehangirpora Shakwara, he was employed at an HP Electronics outlet in New Delhi. According to family sources, Younis suddenly fell unconscious at his residence near Dwarka metro station and was rushed to DDU Hospital. Unfortunately, he was pronounced dead upon arrival. Dr. Nandita Pokhriyal, MBBS, MD, Senior Resident in the Department of Forensic Medicine at DDU Hospital,  reported through the post-mortem examination that the primary cause of death to cardiac arrest triggered by heatstroke. However, the f...

Danishwar Hameed A wildlife official was injured after being attacked by a bear in Parigam area of Kulgam on Sunday. Officials told The Kashmiriyat that a Wildlife official namely Bashir Ahmee Bhat son of Ghulam Ahmad Bhat, a resident of Devsar was attacked by bear in Parigam . They said that Bhat received injuries and was shifted to hospital in injured condition. Details emerging.

Two youth have gone missing from the Srinagar district of central Kashmir, triggering panic among their family members Family members of the duo speaking to The Kashmiriyat said that the two, students of a religious seminary in the Wangunda area of Shalimar in Srinagar have been missing since Saturday afternoon. The duo has been identified as Taufeeq Ahmad, 17, a resident of Tailbal in Dangerpora Shalimar and Uzair Ahmed Bhat, 18, of Habbak Srinagar. "They get a break of around an hour after the Asar (afternoon) prayers. They had left Darul uloom during that break on Saturday, after which they did not return. The administration of the Darul uloom called us. We looked for them everywhere, but to no avail," said the family member. He said that the family has filed a missing repor...