REGIONAL

Danishwar Hameed Well-known Kashmiri who earned his name from the decades long contribution to the field of arts in the valley passed away in Srinagar on Sunday morning. Known for his sweet and melodious voice، Abdul Khaliq Bhagat popularly known as Nab Baand، the 57-year-old has fallen down at the courtyard of his house in south Kashmir s Kulgam district. He was shifted to a nearby hospital, wherefrom the doctors referred him to SKIMS, where he breathed his last on Sunday morning around 4:30 AM. A resident of Frisal Kulgam, Khaliq earned his name through various songs and performances featured on national and local channels.

Meer Irfan On Sunday morning, the Government forces launched a Cordon and Search Operation (CASO) in the Baskushan area of south Kashmir's Shopian district. Official sources confirmed to The Kashmiriyat that 44 RR of the Indian Army, Jammu Kashmir Police and CRPF jointly launched a cordon and search operation in the Shopian area following an input about militant presence in the area. He said that the search operation is going on in the area. The forces have sealed the entry and exit points of the area,

Panjab police on Saturday recovered five kilograms of narcotics from a teacher in Poonch. Official sources told GNS at about 1500 hours, one Nizam Din, a teacher by profession posted at M/S Qasba Colony was apprehended by Punjab Police near Christ School Poonch. 5 Kgs Narcotics like substances was recovered from his possession, they said. Later, Punjab Police brought him at police station Poonch and also subsequently went to his rented room and recovered three laptops there. The Punjab's Police team alongwith above Nizam Din left towards Jammu. The Punjab police was assisted by Poonch police during the operation, the sources added. Station House Officer Poonch Ranjit Rao confirmed to GNS the apprehension as well as recovery of the narcotics by the Punjab police. (GNS)

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) General Secretary in charge of Kashmir Sunil Sharma said that NC president Farooq Abdullah will be in jail very soon. "It is clear that the People’s Democratic Party or PDP’s politics are now buried in the graveyard," he said, as per a news report by News18. Commenting on the upcoming polls in Jammu Kashmir, the BJP leader assured that the ‘next Chief Minister of Jammu Kashmir will be from BJP’ adding that the BJP will without a doubt form government in J&K and this would be painful for the opposition parties in the state to watch. He also claimed that while BJP will be in power in the state, ‘Farooq Abdullah will be counting his losses sitting in jail’. “Those who speak about the return of Article 370 are misleading the Kashmiri people. Opposit...

The Deputy Inspector General of Police Central Kashmir Range, Sujit Kumar on Saturday said that society has to once again come forward to curb the drug menace even as police are doing the job efficiently. Talking to reporters on the sidelines of a function here, Kumar, as per the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) said that no matter how much the police does to curb the drug menace, it is the society that has to come forward once again to curb it completely. He said that from investigation, prosecution and conviction in drug cases, police are doing everything, however, society has to come forward again. He also said that from every house, Mohalla and committee there should be one voice that they cannot tolerate this menace anymore. Notably, Kumar participated in a blood do...

Senior Hurriyat leader, Altaf Ahmed Shah has been diagnosed with acute renal cancer in Tihar Jail in New Delhi, where he is currently undergoing detention. Taking to Twitter, Kashmiri journalist, Ruwa Shah who is Altaf's daughter wrote, "My incarcerated father has been diagnosed with acute renal cancer which has metastasis and has spread to his other body parts, including his bones. It is my whole family’s request to please allow us to see him and consider his bail application on health grounds." His bail was rejected on Friday and adjourned till 10 Sept in the NIA court. "His condition is very critical and deteriorating, as I write," Ruwa Shah wrote. He is presently on oxygen support in the ICU of RML hospital - where there is no oncology department, she said. The Kashmiri jou...

In 10 encounters which raged in September, 14 militants including 2 infiltrators and a Pakistani militant were killed in Kashmir Valley. Among 10 gunfights, militants managed to escape from 2 encounter sites in Baskuchan and Chitragam villages of South Kashmir’s Shopian district. The data available with the news agency Kashmir News Trust reveals that there were 3 encounters in Shopian, 2 each in Anantnag and Kulgam and one each in Srinagar, Barmaulla and Kupwara. In Kupwara, two infiltrators were killed when as per police, army foiled an infiltration bid along LoC Tekri Nar in Machil area. A Pakistan militant Abu Hurrairah was killed while a soldier and two civilians were injured in Batapora Chawalgam area of Kulgam market. The 11 local militants killed in September were Danish...

An alleged child abuser from North Kashmir who was in custody and undergoing treatment at SKIMS Soura died in the hospital, as per local news agency KNT. Earlier, The Kashmiryat had reported that the accused has a history of drug peddling and had a reputation of being a verbal abuser. On 18th September, scores of Durdan residents hit the streets of the north Kashmir village demanding punishment to Rafiq Ahmed Mir, who allegedly raped his daughter, repeatedly. “He (The accused) had allegedly had asked his wife to not reveal the same to anyone and had threatened her that if she did, he will set her ablaze or divorce her,” a local had told The Kashmiriyat. Police had arrested an accused Rafiq Ahmed Mir, a resident of Dudran Boniyar area of North Kashmir’s Baramulla district under ...

Weatherman has forecast mainly dry weather with possibility of “isolated light rain and thunder” in Jammu and Kashmir in next 24 hours. A meteorological department official here told GNS that no large change was expected during the subsequent two days and weather was mostly likely to remain mainly dry. As regards the mercury, he said that Srinagar recorded a low of 11.4°C, same as on the previous night. The temperature was 2.1°C above normal for the summer capital during this time of the year, he said. Qazigund recorded a low of 9.4°C against 9.8°C on the previous night. The temperature was 1.5°C above normal there, he said. In Pahalgam, the mercury settled at 6.1°C against 6.6°C on the previous night and it was 1.1°C above normal for the south Kashmir resort, he said. Koker...

At least 13 cases of hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) were been reported at a school in Srinagar following which authorities issued a health advisory. A top official of the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme(IDSP) while talking to news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), said that 13 students have got affected so far and all are in the age group of 4 to 5 years. School administration was briefed properly about all the guidelines and they were asked to report immediately if there are any more such cases, he said. All these viral illnesses are self-limiting and isolation, proper hygiene, Cough etiquette, hand washing is key to success, he said, adding that tomato flu is a variant of HFMD. "Disease (HFMD) Hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) is a human syndrome caused by ...