REGIONAL

Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha today attended a symposium on cultural heritage, values and principles of Sanatan Dharma. The event was organized by Utthan Foundation Trust at Devkali, Ghazipur. The Lt Governor, in his keynote address, commended the endeavour of the Utthan Foundation and highlighted the role of Sanatan culture in building a progressive society. He said, the cultural heritage, values and principles of Sanatan Dharma continue to guide the citizens towards an egalitarian society where everyone is able to realise their full potential. He called upon the people to work towards securing a just and equitable society. Sanatan culture is eternal, inclusive and inspires people to tread the path of humanism. Sanatan culture emphasizes on virtuous living and equality, equanim...

Several claims are being made regarding the ongoing Lok Sabha elections in Jammu Kashmir, one of them being that it was the first time that a candidate from outside Jammu Kashmir was contesting Lok Sabha polls in the region. Several media outlets carried the news item, many of them attributed it to abrogation of Article 370 stating that the abrogation enabled people from outside the region to contest Lok sabha polls. It is being reported that Baldev Kumar, a resident of Punjab is the first non resident of Jammu Kashmir to contest from the Anantnag-Rajouri seat. However, upon cross verification, The Kashmiriyat found that the claims being widely circulated are false. During the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Shams Khwaja, a resident of Delhi filed nomination papers from Anantnag cons...

Danishwar Hameed The residents of Ashmuji area of South Kashmiri's Kulgam district staged a massive protest against the installation of smart meters on Thursday. A large number of men and women hit roads and expressed resentment against the government’s move to install smart meters which according to protesters is cruelty being meted out to poor masses. “We are poor families here and the majority of our men are daily wagers. We are earning hand to mouth and can’t afford enormous bills,” a women protester said. “We already have meters installed in our homes and we are paying regular bills. What is the fun of installing new meters?” She asked. “This is injustice to us as we poor people can’t afford such huge bills.” The protesters threatened to intensify their protests on a da...

Over 17.80 lakh voters will decide the fate of 22 candidates contesting from 5-Jammu Parliamentary Constituency in the second phase of Lok Sabha polls to be held on April 26. The Jammu parliamentary constituency is spread over 18 Assembly segments in four districts including Reasi, Samba, Jammu and Rajouri. According to the figures provided by the office of Returning Officer 5-Jammu Parliamentary Constituency, there are 17,80,835 registered voters in Jammu PC including 9,21,095 male, 8,59,712 female and 28 transgender electors. Among these 37,822 (37,025 male and 797 female) are service voters. The Election Commission of India (ECI) has set up 2416 polling stations across the constituency including 18 Green Polling Stations, 46 Pink Polling Stations and 18 PwD manned polling stati...

Authorities in Rajouri district have suspended all kinds of VPNs till the culmination of elections in the district. "Whereas, a communication has been received from the office of Senior Superintendent of Police, Rajouri vide No. CS/DPO/PE/2024/6687-91 dated 23.04.2024 regarding unprecedented high usage of virtual private Networks (VPNs) during past few days in different part of this district by score of suspicious internet users; and Whereas, VPN transmits get encrypted and creates point to point tunnel, masks IP address and lets sidestep website blocks and firewall on internet thus making data related to forthcoming Lok Sabha Elections & other sensitive data vulnerable to cyber attacks; reads the order issued by District Magistrate Rajouri, a copy of which lies with News Agency Kas...

The office of the chief electoral officer of Jammu and Kashmir has forwarded a complaint to the Election Commission of India regarding discrepancies in BJP MP Jugal Kishore’s nomination papers, as reported by Hindustan Times. The complaint, prompted by an RTI application, alleges variations, false information, and material facts’ concealment. RTI activist Sheikh Shakeel’s representation, along with annexures, was sent to BC Patra, secretary at the Election Commission, on April 15. Shakeel, a J&K high court lawyer, had previously filed a complaint before the returning officer for Jammu Lok Sabha constituency on April 4, citing discrepancies and requesting legal action. Shakeel highlighted disparities in Kishore’s liabilities/loans column between affidavits filed in 2019 and ...

Two army troopers were injured during Gunfight between militants and government forces at Renji woods of north Kashmir's Bandipora district on Wednesday morning. A top police officer told news agency Kashmir Scroll that two soldiers have received injuries in an ongoing operation who have been hospitalized. He said that helicopters have been pressed into service while more forces have been rushed to the spot to track down hiding militants. Earlier Encounter between terrorists and security forces in the early morning in Renji forest area of Aragam, Bandipora. Search operation is going on.(KS)

Police on Tuesday announced a reward of Rs 10 lakh for any information leading to the identification and capture of the terrorist identified involved in the heinous killing of a man in Rajouri district on Monday. The reward has been announced for the terrorist identified as Abu Hamza for his involvement in terror activities, including the heinous killing of Mohd Razaq in Kunda village of Rajouri on Monday, a police official informed the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO). Muhammad Razaq, a victim of the terror attack in Kunda village of Shadra Sharief, was laid to rest in the local graveyard in which hundreds of people from all over the area participated. He was given a tearful adieu by the family, relatives and people of the area. According to KNO, the funeral prayers were h...

National conference President and former chief Minister of Jammu Kashmir, Dr. Farooq Abdullah said he was surprised over the fact that Ghulam Nabi Azad, People's Confrence or any other Muslim supported the Bhartiya Janta Party which openly advocated anti Muslim sentiments. "It is sad that the prime minister of India has used unbearable language against Muslims when Islam only teaches us tolerance and respect for other religions," Farooq Abdullah said, while referring to a speech of PM Narendra Modi in which he referred to Muslims as infiltrators. He said that it was not possible that Muslims will ever snatch anyone's property and use it for himself. "And if he does, he is not worth being called a Muslim. Our Islam teaches us harmony and I have always loved people equally irrespective...

Three persons have been booked under the Public Safety Act in north Kashmir's Baramulla district. As per a Police press release, Acting tough against "anti-national elements", Baramulla Police booked 3 persons namely Maqsad Ali Kohli son of Maqsood Ali resident of Navarunda Uri, Mohd Usman Bhat son of Abdullah Bhat resident of Sahora Uri & Ghulam Nabi Wani son of Lt. mohd Shaban resident of Chandkote Kreeri under Public Safety Act after obtaining formal detention orders from the competent authority. The trio after being detained was subsequently shifted in Central Jail Kot-Balwal Jammu. Pertinent to mention that many cases are registered against these persons and were involved in disturbance of L&O and subversion. Despite their involvement in many FIR's they did not mend t...