REGIONAL

With the onset of Ramadhan, non-local beggars have inundated Srinagar and other parts of the Kashmir valley, where they have been observed requesting alms in public places, including markets and traffic signals. This is happening at a time when the government has already made begging illegal in public areas and in Masjids. Under Section 4 of the Jammu Kashmir Prevention of Beggary Act, 1960, Section 61 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1989, any person found soliciting alms in a public place, or in or around a mosque, temple, or another place of public worship, whether or not under any pretence, and entering on any private premises for the purpose of soliciting alms shall be immediately arrested. Non-local beggars sent by "contractors" have been seen asking for charity in public ...

Three persons were killed and six others were injured when a passenger cab they were travelling in skidded off the road and fell into a gorge in Reasi district on Thursday. Official sources told GNS that the vehicle, Tata Sumo (JK20-7607), on the way to Tukson to Mahore along Bagga-Gulabgarh road met with the accident near Angralla, leading to the death of three persons and injuries to six others. They said that as soon as the accident took place, local volunteers joined by police immediately swung into action and removed all the persons onboard the vehicle in injured condition to the local health facility in Mahore. However three persons were declared brought dead on the arrival by the doctors and they have been identified as Gulam Mohi-ud-Din (35) son of Abdul Samad, Shabir Ahmed ...

Expecting record arrival of pilgrims, Will focus on movement on Yatri vehicles, highways, Cave tracks, say Officials Amid five five-tier security cover, at least 300 additional companies of security forces will be deployed for the peaceful conduct of annual Amarnath Yatra commencing on June 30 this year, officials in the Ministry of Home Affairs said Wednesday. The security top brass has ensured deployment of forces in various layers while pilgrims will be provided with wrist bands fitted with micro-chips, as part of the renewed security measure. Officials in the MHA told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), that at least 300 additional companies will be deployed for the incident-free pilgrimage. “Maximum number of companies will be from CRPF. We are expecting some 150 com...

Mohammed Yousuf Dar, a resident of Chak area in Kawoosa Budgam, who was one of the oldest surviving militants of Lashkar e Taiba and known for his "disguises" has been killed in the encounter that raged in Baramulla's Pariswani area. Officials said an operation was launched last night in Pariswani- the village adjacent to Budgam and Baramulla after receiving input from Budgam police about militant presence in the area. The Budgam police and the local army unit conducted the anti-militancy operation and firing continued intermittently during the night. In the first firefight, three soldiers and a civilian were slightly injured. During the following exchange of gunfire, two militants including Yousuf Kantroo were killed, while three more are believed to be trapped. Known as Is...

Four soldiers and a policeman were injured in the gunfight with militants In Baramulla district on Thursday. Two militants including LeT outfit’s commander and the longest surviving militant Mohammad Yousuf Kantroo were killed in the gunfight at Malwah area. A police officer told GNS all the injured including four soldiers and a policeman, constable Basharat Ahmad, have been hospitalized. “Top LeT (militant) Commander Yousuf Kantroo killed in Baramulla encounter. He was involved in several killings of civilians & SFs personnel including recent killing of JKP’s SPO & his brother, one soldier and one civilian in Budgam district,” IGP Kashmir said in a tweet. “A big success for us,” he added. IGP Kashmir told GNS that Kantroo was associated with militancy since 2000 and had r...

Jammu and Kashmir police Thursday claimed to have acheived a big sucess by killing top Lashkar-e-Toiba commander Yousuf Kantroo in an ongoing encounter at northern district of Baramulla. As per news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), IGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar tweeted "Top LeT Commander Yousuf Kantroo killed in #Baramulla #encounter He was involved in several #killings of civilians & SFs personnel including the recent killing of JKP’s SPO & his brother, one Soldier, and one civilian in #Budgam district. A big success for us." Baramulla encounter early this morning in which three soldiers sustained minor injuries— Meanwhile, three more LeT militants are believed to be trapped at the site of the encounter. (KNO)

Rains continued in Kashmir Valley even as a weatherman on Thursday forecasted more “freak weather” in J&K next 24 hours. “Today, freaky weather, cloudy with occasional rain, a thunderstorm with gusty winds, hail storm at isolated places and snowfall over higher reaches likely to continue till tomorrow (April 22nd) at most places of Kashmir and at scattered places of Jammu (from afternoon onwards),” the officials said, adding, “Due to (scattered rains) slight respite from hot weather is expected in Jammu region.” However he said there’s “no forecast” of any major rainfall. Meanwhile, the official here said that Srinagar received 6.9 mm of rain in the last 24 hours till 0830 hours and recorded a low of 10.0°C against 9.6°C on the previous night. The temperature, he said, was 1.1°C ...

One militant has been killed in an ongoing encounter in Pariswani area of north Kashmir's Baramulla district on Thursday, officials said. Officials told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that the encounter broke out shortly after joint security forces including the Army, CRPF and SOG of Jammu and Kashmir Police cordoned off the area following inputs about the presence of militants there. “One unidentified militant has been killed, whose identification is being ascertained,” they said, adding that the operation is on in the area. In the initial exchange of fire, 03 soldiers received minor injuries. Earlier, Kashmir Zone Police in tweeted “#Encounter has started at Pariswani area of #Baramulla. BudgamPolice and Army on job.”—(KNO)

The district president of BJP for the north Kashmir's Bandipora district allegedly collected one Lakh rupees from the family for ensuring the release of youth undergoing detention in the north Kashmir district. ALSO READ: ‘They Promised me, They will release my Son, if I Attend the Rally’- 100-year-Old Woman Attends BJP Rally in Kashmir Aqib Khursheed, a youth had been detained by the Jammu Kashmir Police in Bandipora last week after which the family approached the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) leader who ensured the release of their kin and demanded an amount of one Lakh rupees. Officials told The Kashmiriyat that the family had the sister of Aqib approach BJP leaders Abdul Rehman Tikri (BJP district president) and Manzoor Ahmed (Sarpanch) to help her in ensuring her brother’s early re...