General officer Commanding (GoC) of the army's Srinagar-based 15 Corps Lieutenant General D P Pandey on Saturday said that Kashmir was more peaceful compared to past few years as important security parameters—local militant recruitment, stone pelting, strike calls are all-time low. He, however, said while youth between the age group of 20 to 25 have understood that “violence leads to nowhere”, white-collar militants are now trying hard to lure teenagers between the age group of 16 to 19. Talking to reporters on the sidelines of the Gulmarg Sports Festival jointly organised by the Army and Gulmarg Development Authority (GDA), Lt Gen Pandey said that Kashmir indeed is more peaceful this year compared to the past few years. “This is because there is a huge tourist influx at the beginnin...

Jammu and Kashmir police Saturday re-arrested journalist Fahad Shah in third case after a local court granted interim bail to him in the second case registered at Southern Shopian district. An official told news agency Kashmir Dot Com (KDC) that Fahad Shah was arrested in a case under FIR no 06-2021 under section 153 and 505 of Indian Penal Code registered against him at police station Imam Sahab in southern Shopian district. Fahad, who is editor of a local news magazine and portal, “The Kashmir Walla”, was Ist arrested in FIR No. 19/2022 registered by Pulwama police under 13 Unlawful activities of which interim bail was granted by the special court on last Saturday. Counsel of Fahad Shah- Advocate Umair Ronga confirmed that a local Munsif court in south Kashmir granted interim ba...

A tipper driver died on Saturday after his vehicle plunged into Nagre nallah in north Kashmir's Kupwara district. Officials said that a vehicle plunged into the nallah, trapping the driver inside following which a rescue operation was launched. They said that soon after the rescue operation was launched, the body of the driver identified as Fayaz Ahmad Dar of Check Dragmulla was recovered. Meanwhile, police have also reached the spot and an investigation has been started—(KNO)

A CRPF officer died after he collapsed while on way to Srinagar Airport on Saturday, Police sources said. The trooper identified as Assistant Sub Inspector Paine Kumar, was heading towards his native state on leave. However, on way to Srinagar Airport he collapsed in the bus near Airport. He was shifted to a nearby health facility, however doctors couldn't revive him. The deceased CRPF officer was affiliated with 176 Battalion. (KNT)

A day after a massive fire destroyed Kashmir’s premier Bone and Joint hospital, Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) on Saturday has sought fire safety audit of all the hospitals in the valley. “The fire safety audit of hospitals should be done immediately to ensure safety and security of patients and staff,” said DAK President Dr Nisar ul Hassan. “Yesterday’s fire at orthopedic hospital is a wakeup call,” he said. Dr Hassan said it is imperative to conduct safety audit of hospitals to prevent such incidents in future. “If we are admitting patients, we need to keep them safe,” he said adding “patient safety should be of paramount consideration.” The DAK President said we need to ensure that fire fighting measures are in place at health institutions to provide safe environment t...

In a strange scenario, Jammu Kashmir Forest Department has posted a Junior Level Officer against a senior IFS cadre post (CCF Rank- Secretary Technical) within Secretariat—who according to insiders is allegedly “calling shots” in all decisions in Administrative Department as well as Van Bhavan. “The Administrative Department of Forest, Ecology, and Environment seems to be deliberately interested during last 2 years for keeping the field Officers posted in Secretariat and Van Bhavan for personal rather than professional reasons,” alleged a group of Forest Officials, wishing anonymity. "These officers always manage their stay within the capital cities. Earlier also the same issue was highlighted in the media, but these officials continue to occupy their postings at secretariat and HoD ...

The residents of the Kangan area of Pulwama district in South Kashmir staged a protest on Saturday against PHE department for sending them hefty bills despite failing to provide water supply in the area. Speaking to the media, the residents said that the department is sending them bills, but the water supply has been defunct for the last five years.buy citalopram online rxbuywithoutprescriptionrxonline.com/citalopram.html no prescription Raising slogans against the concerned department, the protesters alleged that they were being neglected by the administration. "There is no water in taps. However, many residents have received bills amounting to thousands," a resident said.

Pakistan's Interior Minister on Saturday vowed to arrest the masterminds behind a deadly suicide attack claimed by the Islamic State terror group on a crowded Shia mosque during Friday prayers here that killed at least 62 people and injured nearly 200 others. A suicide bomber, belonging to the ISIS-Khorasan, blew himself up inside a mosque in Qissa Khwani bazaar in Peshawar, capital of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province on Friday, in one of the deadliest attacks in the restive region, bordering Afghanistan. The death toll on Saturday rose to 62 after five more people injured in the explosion succumbed to their wounds, a hospital official said. "The death toll from the mosque blast has touched 62 after five more people injured in the explosion succumbed to their injuries. The numbers migh...

While showing a united front, everyone be it men-in-uniform, locals, attendants, employees or activists helped in the safe evacuation of over 200 immobile patients from a Srinagar hospital on Friday late evening. A three-story building of Bone and Joint Hospital located in the Barzulla area of uptown Srinagar was completely gutted in a massive blaze. Over 200 patients were inside the hospital at the time of the unexpected blaze. Shortly after the flames emanated from the Theatre Block of the hospitals, people mostly young rushed towards the spot and started evacuating the patients. People along with police not only helped firefighters but also managed vehicles to shift the patients to safer places. “The evacuation process was difficult as majority of the patients with fractures an...