REGIONAL

Shah Faesal, the Jammu and Kashmir cadre IAS officer who resigned from service, is going to return to work after his resignation was declined by the Centre. Faesal, who had decided to form his own political party after resigning from service, became disgruntled with politics and later stepped out of it by giving up his position in the J&K People’s Movement. He formed the J&K People’s Movement on February 4, 2019, but resigned from politics on August 10, 2020. He stood first in the 2010 Civil Services exam and was allotted home cadre. He has served at different positions during his service period. Faesal said on Twitter that he is likely to get the Jammu and Kashmir cadre and would serve the people to the best of his capacity. He had become an icon for civil service a...

A suspected explosive material was found planted near a busy road in Sidhra area of Jammu on Thursday. An official told news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) said that the suspected explosive material, which could be an IED or a sticky bomb, was found planted alongside road in Sidhra area after which an alert has been issuedissued and traffic has been stopped. Entire area has now been cordoned and bomb squad has been called in, official said. Meanwhile,SSP Jammu Chandan Kohli said that they are examining the matter and investigation is going on—(KNO)

Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Thursday produced a chargesheet against General Managers of DIC Kupwara and others in misappropriation of transport subsidy case in Anti Corruption Court Baramulla. As per a statement issued to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), Anti Corruption Bureau produced chargesheet in a case under FIR number 07/2008 PS VOK (now ACB) under investigation with PS ACB Central, J&K, Jammu against accused public servants namely Abdul Hamid Bhat the then GM DIC Kupwara, Fayaz Ahmed Shafie, the then GM DIC Kupwara, Mohd. Ashraf Janwari the then GM DIC Kupwara, Masood Karim the then Manager Development DIC Kupwara, Abdul Gani Kirmani IPO DIC Kupwara, Abdul Ahad Khan (expired) IPO DIC Kupwara, Ghulam Nabi Mir the then Block Investigator DIC Kupwara, Zahoor Ahma...

Two women have received serious injuries in an incident of attack by a wild bear in remote village Gagriyan of Poonch district on Thursday. An official told news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that victims have been identified as Zarifa Begum (38) wife of Mushtaq Ahmed and Sharifa Begum (42) wife of Ghulam Mohd Jaan, residents of Gagriyaan village of Mandi tehsil in Poonch district. As per the official, both women were attacked by a wild bear near their house on Thursday morning and other villagers rescued them from the clutches of wild animal. Duo have been hospitalised and are having multiple injuries, he said—(KNO)

The Jammu Kashmir Police said that two local militants have been killed during an encounter between the Government forces and militants in Mitrigam area of Murran in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district. Earlier, an official said that a joint team of Police, Army, and CRPF was fired upon by militants when they launched a Cordon and Search Operation (CASO) on specific information about the presence of militants in the area. During the exchange of gunfire, two local militants were killed and one trooper soldier was also injured. The Jammu Kashmir Police identified the slain as Aijaz Hafiz and Shahid Ayub and said that two AK 47 rifles have been recovered from their possession. Police said that the duo belonged to Al Badr outfit and were involved in a series of attacks on outside labo...

Authorities have decided to not allow Jumat-ul-Vida as well as Shab-e-Qadr prayers at historic Jamia Masjid Srinagar, Anjuman Auqaf Jamia Masjid said on Wednesday. “Government and Police officials headed by a magistrate visited the Jama Masjid premises today after iftar and conveyed to the Auqaf members that authorities have decided not to allow Jumat-ul-vida congregational prayers to be held in Jamia Masjid on the last Friday of Ramzan as well as no prayers or Shab to be allowed on shab-e-Qadr at the historic Jama Masjid,”Anjumam said in a statement to GNS and strongly “denounced this decision of the authorities.” (GNS)

The administration said that it has identified land for the newly sanctioned 50 colleges in JK which are functioning out of makeshift accommodations. According to the annual report 2020-21 of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), a copy of which is with the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), in order to achieve the objective of access and equity, 50 new Government Degree Colleges in the uncovered areas of Jammu Kashmir sanctioned during the financial year 2018-19, have been made operational and land has been identified almost at all the places and the colleges have been established in makeshift arrangements. "New initiatives have been started in the Colleges by providing IT-enabled classrooms. automation of libraries, e-learning and in this regard digital interactive boards, digi...

The government has issued an advisory, asking the farmers not to cultivate paddy crops in wake of the low discharge of water from nearby nallahs and admitted that the water scarcity is likely to affect Kashmir parts in the mid of summer season due to the deficit rainfall and early melting of snow. As per the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), Executive Engineer, Irrigation and Flood Control (I&FC) division Sopore has appealed to the farmers not to cultivate paddy crops this year. In the advisory, a copy of which lies with KNO, the Executive Engineer has said that in view of less snowfall this year and early melting of snow due to soaring temperature, there is the possibility of water scarcity in the summer season and thus the farmers should not cultivate paddy crops this ye...

An encounter broke out between militants and security forces in Mitrigam area of South Kashmir’s Pulwama district on Wednesday, officials said. An official said that a joint team of Police, Army and CRPF launched a cordon and search operation on specific information about the presence of militants in the area. He said that as the joint team of forces approached the suspected spot, militants fired upon them which was retaliated triggering an encounter. As per the sources two to three militants are believed to be trapped in the area—(KNO) More details awaited

Residents of the Lawaypora area in Srinagar district hit the streets against the Power Development Department over the ongoing power crisis in the Kashmir valley. Eyewitnesses told The Kashmiriyat that on Wednesday scores of residents blocked the Highway demanding immediate restoration of the electricity to their area. "We have never seen such an electricity crisis in Kashmir, not even during waters. We do not understand why is the development only visible on newspaper frontpages and on social media and on the ground people are undergoing the worst crisis," Ghulam Mohammed Shah, a local resident said. He alleged that the area receives less than three hours of electricity in the day. The Kashmiriyat reported earlier how students and businesses across the valley were suffering lo...