REGIONAL

Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha Thursday said that in the last four years a lot has changed as Kashmir is becoming a mini-Europe while night life has returned to the Valley after so many decades. Addressing 9th India International MSME Expo and Summit 2023 in New Delhi, the LG, as per news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) said that many people question as to what has changed in Kashmir in the last four years. “Let me put it on record that Kashmir is becoming a mini-Europe. The night life has returned to a place where people were seen rushing to their homes just after sun set,” the LG said. He said that street violence, Pakistan sponsored terror, terrorism, separatism, closure of schools for 150 days a year is a history now. “Cinemas are functioning normally and people are enjoyi...

Inspector General of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) Srinagar sector,Ajay Kumar Yadav Thursday said that elaborate arrangements have been put in place to ensure smooth conduct of all Independence Day functions in Kashmir. He said special nakas have been established at various points in Srinagar and elsewhere to keep the peace intact. “We are ready for the peaceful conduct of Independence Day (August 15) across Kashmir,” Yadav told reporters on the sidelines of a medical camp organized by the CRPF at Maisuma area of Srinagar, as per news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO). The IG CRPF said that a proper deployment plan has been made that entails random checking etc. “Fresh nakas have been established in the city and elsewhere. Officers are on field to monitor developments. Night c...

Expressing serious concern over the termination of J&K Bank ATM guards, CPI(M) leader Muhammad Yousuf Tarigami has said the decision is a huge injustice to hundreds of these poor people, who have been doing their jobs with dedication for years together. “Most of them have been doing their jobs for more than a decade and are sole bread earners of their families. Disengaging them will have devastating effects not only on them but on their families too,” he said. Tarigami said that the administration must intervene in this issue so that these poor workers don’t have to suffer further. [KNT]

School Education Department Thursday ordered that its employees falling in the category of specially abled shall not be given any additional assignment. According to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), Director of School Education Kashmir (DSEK) said this in a circular regarding the issues faced by employees with disabilities in the Department of education. “DSEK has received a number of representations from various organizations pleading the cause of specially abled persons stating therein that the employees of this category are put to many tasks in addition to their own duties to which they are not able to do justice,” DSEK said. It also said that many social organizations were advocating that such employees may not be given any additional task which badly affects their...

The supreme court of India on Thursday will commence hearing petitions challenging the abrogation of Article 370 for the fifth day. Senior Advocates Kapil Sibal and Gopal Subramaniam have finished their arguments and the court is hearing the petitions of Bar Council lead by senior Kashmiri Lawyer, Zafar Ahmed Shah. On day four Advocate Gopal Subramaniam argued that there was no possible way for the Indian Government to abrogate the special status of Jammu Kashmir granted to it by the Articles 370 and 35A. Senior Advocate Zafar Shah on Wednesday insisted that there was a principle difference in the agreement between India and Jammu Kashmir. Unlike other states, Jammu Kashmir entered the arrangement of accession and did not enter into two succeeding pacts--Standstill Agreement and M...

Three persons including a army trooper were injured in a grenade blast during cordon and search operation in Athlan Gadole area of Kokernag in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district, officials said on Thursday. A top police officer told GNS that last night a search party of security forces launched a cordon and search operation Athlan Gadole village. As the joint team of security forces started searches, a grenade was lobbed on them by the hiding militants. In this incident, two civilians and an army jawan received minor splinter injuries. All of them were immediately shifted to nearby hospital and their condition is stated by doctors to be stable, he said. More details shall follow.(GNS)

Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai informed Rajya Sabha on Wednesday that 174 civilians, 308 security personnel, and 1002 terrorists were killed in 761 terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir between 2018 and 2022. Rai in a written reply to a question, as per the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) said that 174 civilians were killed in J&K in 761 terror attacks in the erstwhile state in the last 5 years between 2018 and 2022. "Furthermore, 35 civilians were killed in the Union Territory in 626 encounters occurred in the same period," he said, adding that the number of security personnel killed during the same period remained at 308 and 1002 terrorists were also eliminated by security forces. He also said that the ministry of home affairs administers a cent...

On Wednesday afternoon two were arrested in Srinagar after assaulting and injuring a girl in a shop at Boulevard Road Srinagar. Srinagar Police in a tweet said that two accused ladies Ms Urfana Bhat & Ms Rukhsana both residents of Nishat arrested for assaulting & injuring a girl in a shop at Boulevard Road. FIR no 119/2023 under relevant sections registered in RM Bagh PS. The victim lady is stable & has been shifted to hospital.