Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday said that the delimitation process in Jammu Kashmir has started and elections will be held soon. "I've given assurance in Lok Sabha that as soon as the situation becomes normal, statehood will be given back to the Jammu and Kashmir," Shah said, as reported by ANI. Details emerging.

Meer Irfan After a lull of more than an hour, fresh firing has resumed at the site of the encounter between Militants and government forces in the Kilbal area of South Kashmir’s Shopian district. An official earlier told The Kashmiriyat that on Saturday morning, 34 RR of Indian Army, Jammu Kashmir Police and CRPF launched a joint launched cordon and search operation in the Kilbal area of Shopian. During the search operation, the hiding militants fired upon the forces, triggering off a gunfight, he said. “There was no contact after the initial exchange of gunfire for more than an hour, however, fresh contact has been established,” an official said. He said that fresh contact was established 1327 HRS, adding, "two militants are believed to be trapped at the site of the encount...

Government Railway Police Kashmir (GRPK) on Saturday claimed to have solved the theft cases by arresting 21 accused persons involved in robbing OHE copper wire, which were being installed by railway authorities through a private firm. Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) GRPK, Harmeet Singh informed the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that 21 accused have been arrested while the stolen property of OHE wire 388 Kgs, worth Rs 3,56,572 was also recovered from them. “The job installation of OHE copper wire by railway authorities through M/S R.S. Infra private limited company has been under progress from Baramulla to Banihal since September, 2021. While the job of the installation of said wire was being carried out by the said agency it was reported by the said company that durin...

Considered as the country’s finest and decorated forces, Jammu and Kashmir Police has been tasked to ensure peaceful Assembly elections in neighboring Punjab state that set to go for polls on February 20. As per police spokesman of district Kathua, a district that shares a long border with Punjab as well as International Border with Pakistan, the SSP Kathua reviewed the security at a high level joint meeting ahead of forthcoming “Republic Day-2022” celebrations and “Assembly Elections” in Punjab. “Senior Superintendent of Police Kathua R C Kotwal chaired the meeting where officers from Army, Border Security Force, Central Reserve Police Force and different wings of intelligence agencies were present,” he said, as per news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), adding that as “counter-in...

Rains lashed plains of Srinagar while most places including Gulmarg received snowfall in Kashmir Valley, officials said on Saturday. A meteorological department official here told GNS that Srinagar received 1.6mm rainfall in last 24 hours till 0830 hours today while the summer capital of the J&K recorded a low of 2.3°C against last night’s 2.8°C. Kashmir is presently under the grip of 40-day long harshest period of winter, known locally as ‘Chillai Kalan, which started from December 21. It is followed by a 20-day long ‘Chillai Khurd’ and a 10-day-long ‘Chilla Bachha’. Gulmarg had about 12cms of fresh snowfall during the time and recorded a low of minus 6.5°C against minus 7.5°C on previous night, he said. The temperature was 1.7°C above normal for this time of the year in the ...

Meer Irfan An encounter broke out between militants and Government forces in the Kilbal area of South Kashmir’s Shopian district on Saturday morning. An official said that a joint team of Police, 34RR and CRPF launched a cordon and search operation following specific inputs about the presence of militants in the area. As the joint team of forces approached the suspected spot, militants fired upon them which was retaliated triggering an encounter. As per the sources, one to two militants are believed to be trapped in the village.

On Saturday, a distressed family from Pulwama district’s Karimabad area said that 16-year-old Irfan Ahmad Sheikh has been missing since Monday. The missing person's father, Abdul Rashid Sheikh, while talking to The Kashmiriyat said that his youngest son Irfan Ahmed was a Hifz- Quran and was teaching young kids in the locality. "It has been six days now that he has not returned. We tried reaching him via his phone, but his cell phone is switched off," Rashid told The Kashmiriyat. Rashid said that the family waited for a few days for Irfan to return, but as days passed and there was no clue of him, they filed a missing report at the local police station. "The police assured us that they will help us find him," Rashid told The Kashmiriyat. "We are a poor family. Irfan was the o...