REGIONAL

A minor earthquake measuring 2.9 on the Richter scale jolted Jammu Kashmir on Saturday, increasing the number of temblors to strike to 12 in the last five days, according to the National Centre for Seismology (NCS). The NCS said the quake occurred at 4.32 a.m. on Saturday with latitude 32.87 degrees north and longitude 75.46 degrees east. The epicenter was 26 km southwest of Bhaderwah town in the Jammu division and its depth was 10 km inside the earth’s crust. In the last five days, tremors were reported in the Reasi, Udhampur, Doda, Ramban and Kishtwar districts of the Jammu division. Some local earth scientists have cautioned that these small tremors could be the precursor of a major seismic event in the offing, IANS reported. Others have said that these were beneficial be...

A 56-year-old man allegedly tried to kidnap and molest a school girl in Dooru area of South Kashmir's Anantnag. Sources told The Kashmiriyat that a driver namely Abdul Hamid Rather, a resident of Batgund area in Dooru in Anantnag while returning from school took the bus to the dense forests of Koot area in Dooru. The driver then allegedly started molesting the school girl during which the girl made a loud noise which was heard by the locals who rushed to the spot in large numbers and rescued the 14-year-young girl. The Locals also informed the Local Police who rushed to the spot. As per the family, the driver was trying to molest the girl from last many days. They accused the school administration of negligence as well as it did not depute any staff member to drop students to t...

Jammu and Kashmir High Court on Thursday reopened the case of Nadimarg massacre of 24 Kashmiri Pandits that was closed a decade ago, India Today reported. Justice Sanjay Dhar was hearing the application filed by the prosecution seeking recall of order dated 21.12.2011 whereby the criminal revision petition was dismissed. The massacres of 24 persons belonging to the minority community was carried out by 'militants' at Nadimarg village in Shopian district in 2003. A case (FIR No.24/2003 for offences under Sections 302, 450, 395, 307, 120-B, 326, 427 RPC, 7/27 Arms Act and Section 30 Police Act) was registered in Police Station, Zainapora in connection with massacre and investigations were taken up. After investigation of the case, the challan was filed against seven accused persons ...

The admin on Thursday terminated the services of a medical officer engaged under the National Health Mission (NHM). In a statement issued to Kashmir News Service (KNS), "Whereas, unsatisfactory remarks have been made by the Chief Medical Officer, Srinagar in your Annual Performance Report (APR) stating that you have Poor integrity, Non- seriousness, non-punctuality and poor commitment towards your work and your behavior with Superiors/Colleagues/Sub-ordinates/Public/Patients is also Un-satisfactory and Chief Medical Officer, Srinagar has not clearly recommended for extension of your services," he said. "Whereas, the services of employees working under NHM are subject to satisfactory performance and integrity and are the contract is renewed only after performance appraisal and conside...

Around three percent men and two percent women in Jammu and Kashmir have high blood glucose levels and around one percent people in JK having normal blood glucose levels and are using medicines to lower blood glucose levels, the National Health and Family Survey-5 (NHFS-5) has reported. As per the report available with news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), in Jammu & Kashmir, two percent of women age 15-49 have more than 141 mg/dL blood glucose levels and in comparison, 3 percent of men age 15-49 have high and one percent have very high blood glucose levels. It also reads that women and men in older age groups and those with less than 5 years of schooling have relatively high blood glucose levels and Men are more likely than women to have normal blood glucose levels and are ta...

A young apiarist from Kashmir Valley died in the Western State of India due to a snake bite, family sources of the deceased said on Friday. The victim Shakir Ahmed Wani son of Gul Muhammad Wani, a resident of Chewawular Tral Sub-Division of South Kashmir’s Pulwama district was a beekeeper running a honey bee farm in Rajasthan. One of the family members while confirming the death of 17-year-old youth, told Kashmir News Trust he was bitten by a deadly snake in his farm on Thursday. “The victim was undergoing treatment in a hospital in Rajasthan where he died on Friday morning. His body will be airlifted to his native village for the last rites. (KNT)

In order to ease the burden on National Investigation Agency (NIA) courts, Jammu and Kashmir High Court on Saturday ordered constitution of exclusive special courts for NIA cases. In an order, a copy of which lies with the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) Registrar General, J&K High Court, Sanjeev Gupta stated that to ease out the pressure from the NIA Courts, the Chief Justice has been pleased to transfer the Civil, Session trial cases (except Rape Cases) and NDPS cases pending in the Court of Additional District and Sessions Judge, (NIA Special Court), Anantnag to the Court of Principal District and Sessions Judge, Anantnag for disposal in accordance with law. “Similarly, Session trial cases, NDPS and Civil Cases are transferred from the Court of Additional District and ...

State Investigation Agency of Jammu and Kashmir Police presented a charge sheet against Srinagar man in NIA court on Friday. In a handout issued to GNS, the NIA said that today they presented charge sheet against Hammad Farooq son of Farooq Ahmad Tramboo resident of Kagazgari Mohalla, Nowshera, Srinagar for Militant funding. According to Spokesperson, as per details, a case FIR No. 09/2021 under relevant sections of law was lodged at Police Station CIK (SIA) Kashmir last year following some credible inputs about Hawala money being pumped in from Gulf countries. Investigation was set into motion for the logical conclusion of the case for judicial determination. The investigation conducted has revealed that accused had developed links with militants through social media and in purs...

Former Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, who resigned from the Congress party on Friday, is all set to float a new political party in Jammu & Kashmir next month, sources said here. Sources told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that Azad would launch the party in September. This would be the second major new political party in Jammu and Kashmir after August 5, 2019. In 2020, businessman-turned-politician Syed Altaf Bukhari launched a new political party. Azad will be launching a new political party ahead of the elections in Jammu & Kashmir. Notably, veteran Congress leader Azad resigned from the party today citing several reasons including taking over of the party by Rahul Gandhi and his coteries. Following his resignation from the party, several Congress...