REGIONAL

In the last 3 months, police in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district along with the Geology and Mining Department have seized 40 tippers, 12 tractors, and a load carrier used for illegal extraction of minerals in the district. At least 19 persons have been arrested in this regard. This action from the police and Geology and Mining Department has virtually stopped the menace of illegal mining and unauthorized transportation of minerals within the limits of Ganderbal district. Police said all the accused had been resorting to illegal mining of minerals in Nallah Sindh flowing in the district. At least 11 FIRs stand registered against the illegal miners at different police stations including PS Ganderbal, PS Lar, PS Safapora, PS Kheerbawani, PS Kangan, and PS Gund. Besides, the...

The body of a man, which was recovered from the river Jhelum near cement bridge in Srinagar’s Noorbagh area today morning, has been identified as that of a Punjab resident, officials said. An official told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that the body was spotted by locals, who immediately informed the police. “The body was later shifted to a hospital for identification and medico-legal formalities.” He has been identified as Chetan Preet Singh son of Gopal Singh Punjab’s of Batala area, but was presently putting up in Srinagar’s Indira Nagar, he said. Police have take cognisance of the matter and further investigation has been started—(KNO)

Shabir Ali The Magam town in Budgam has shut as a sign of mourning against the death of Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi who died in a chopper crash on Sunday along with his colleagues. Eyewitnesses told The Kashmiriyat that amid a thin movement of traffic, shops in the area have shut to mark solidarity with the people of Iran, who are mourning the death of Ebrahim Raisi for five days. They said that a massive solidarity rally was taken out by the youth of the central Kashmir town. The rally was going on when this report was being filed. Earlier, on Monday as the news of his death spread, Kashmiri Muslims holding candles and hoarding gathered at the historic Ghanta Ghar in Srinagar and several other places including Alamgiri Bazar, Magam Budgam. The tragic incident occurred o...

Over the past five years, Srinagar has seen a significant rise in drug-related cases, with a total of 535 drug cases registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, leading to the arrest of 894 people. The District Police Headquarters Srinagar disclosed these figures in response to a Right to Information (RTI) query filed by M.M. Shuja, a copy of which lies with the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO). The year-wise report of cases is as follows: 2019 saw the registration of 81 drug-related cases, resulting in the arrest of 126 individuals. The police seized 201 grams of brown sugar, 15.835 kilograms of charas, and 4,455 bottles of psychotropic syrups. In 2020, the number of registered cases increased to 92, with 159 arrests. Seizures included 20...

Voters thronged polling stations in large numbers in Soibugh as voting got underway in north Kashmir’s Baramulla Lok Sabha constituency on Monday, expressing satisfaction over the improved security situation and the fading “fear” of separatist-sponsored boycott calls of the past three decades. The voters see the first major electoral exercise in the Union Territory post the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019 as an opportunity to vent their feelings on the developments in the region over the past almost five-year period. Soibugh, the home town of Syed Sallahuddin, the Pakistan-based supremo of proscribed terror outfit Hizbul Mujahideen, lies in the Budgam district of central Kashmir and is part of the Baramulla constituency, where National Conference leader Omar Abdullah is amon...

A police officer was injured after allegedly being assaulted by a political leader and his supporters at a polling station in Pattan town of North Kashmir’s Baramulla district. In another violent incident, a polling officer also sustained injuries after being roughed up by some political workers, Kashmir News Trust reported. Block Medical Officer Pattan Dr. Toha Khan confirmed to the news agency Kashmir News Trust that two persons including a police officer were brought to Trauma Hospital Pattan in injured condition who after first aid were referred to GMC Baramulla. Eyewitnesses, quoted by the news agency said that Jammu Kashmir People's Conference leader Imran Reza Ansari along with his supporters barged into a polling station and tried to create disturbance. When SHO Pattan,...

Danishwar Hameed A 65-year-old woman died due to electrocution in south Kashmir's Kulgam district on Monday afternoon. Officials told The Kashmiriyat that a woman identified as Haneefa Begum wife of Ghulam Nabi Naik, a resident of Khuloora Devsar received an electric shock at her residence today afternoon resulting in serious injuries to her. She was immediately taken to the nearby District hospital Kulgam where doctors declared her dead on arrival. Meanwhile police have taken cognizance of this incident.

Rayees Shah/ Shah Basit Voters in great numbers turned to polling stations in the Baramulla Lok Sabha seat on Monday morning to decide the fate of 22 candidates including the National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah. Nearly 17.5 Lakh voters will exercise their franchise in Baramulla, Bandipora, and Kupwara districts and parts of Budgam. Officials told The Kashmiriyat that 2,103 polling stations have been installed throughout the Lok Sabha seat which is expected to witness a nail-biting contest. The poling began at 7 A.M. in the polling stations, eight polling will be managed by women, and 18 by youth. 21 polling stations have been declared as green polling stations. "26 Polling Stations have been installed outside Jammu Kashmir,  21 in Jammu, 4 in Delhi, and 1 in Udh...

Dilip Kumar Pandita, a lone displaced Kashmiri Pandit candidate contesting on the Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha seat, is ramping up his campaign, promising to “reunite all Kashmiris through serious intra-community dialogue via civil society”. Pandita is among 20 candidates in the fray challenging prominent figures like PDP president Mehbooba Mufti and National Conference leader Mian Altaf Ahmad in the election slated for May 25. Pandita (56), who hails from a small hamlet of Ramhal in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district, has been living in a government accommodation in Jagti migrant township with his family for several decades. Despite the prevailing heatwave conditions in Jammu, he is vigorously campaigning with door-to-door interactions and corner meetings in Jammu, particularly in f...

The National Conference leader Omar Abdullah has said people are identifying themselves with his party's campaign as it is talking about factors important to them: the sense of "betrayal" since August 5, 2019 and their issues remaining unaddressed in the absence of a popular government since 2018. Abdullah, who is contesting from the Baramulla Lok Sabha seat, accuses the "BJP and agencies" of riding "multiple horses in this race to see which one can ultimately damage the National Conference". Overwhelmed by people's enthusiastic response to his roadshows and rallies, especially in areas hitherto dominated by the separatist ideology, the NC vice president said the BJP's tactics in various constituencies indicated a calculated approach to secure advantages through alliances against his...