The security of the four former Chief Ministers of Jammu Kashmir– Omar Abdullah, Mehbooba Mufti, Farooq Abdullah, Ghulam Nabi Azad– will be reduced, as per an order by Jammu Kashmir administration. According to the order, The strength of the Special Security Group (SSG) protecting the four CMs will be reduced. The decision was taken in the Security Review Coordination Committee meeting wherein it was decided that under the Provision of Security to Protect, the posted strength of SSG will be reduced. “Post the remaining SSG personnel to other wings to make the best use of their knowledge/Training/Exercise, stated the order. Agency Inputs

The PDP president and former chief minister of Jammu Kashmir, Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday said that the allocation of huge tracts of land to the armed forces in tourist areas of Jammu Kashmir confirmed the intention of the Centre to "convert Jammu Kashmir into a military garrison". She was reacting to reports that about 50 hectares (1300 Kanals) of land are being transferred to the Army under the Strategic Areas Act in Gulmarg and Sonamarg areas of Kashmir. https://twitter.com/MehboobaMufti/status/1478746542601170946 "Allocating thousands of Kanals to armed forces that too in tourist areas confirms GOIs intention to convert J&K into a military garrison. Under the 'state land' pretext, our land is up for grabs & to add insult to injury locals are being evicted from their ho...

Parts of Kashmir Valley as well as Banihal, Batote and Bhaderwah areas in Jammu region received more snowfall since overnight while minimum temperatures recorded slight dip at most places in J&K and Ladakh on Thursday, officials said. A meteorological department official told GNS that Srinagar recorded rain and snowfall of 12.9mm in last 24 hours till 0830 hours today. However there was no accumulation on ground. The summer capital of J&K, he said, recorded a low of 0.3°C against previous night’s 0.8°C. It was 2.2°C above normal for this time of the year in Srinagar, he said. 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-...

Jammu-Srinagar highway remained closed due to landslides, mudslides, and shooting stones at several places, officials said on Thursday. In a tweet, traffic police said the highway remains closed for vehicular movement due to landslides/mudslides and shooting stones at several places. The authorities are clearing snow off the roads at the Jawahar tunnel. The Mughal road that connects Shopian with Poonch-Rajouri districts, Srinagar-Leh highway and Sinthan road, connecting Anantnag and Kishtwar districts also remained closed due to snowfall. Meanwhile, the Airport authorities of India in a tweet said, “All flights at Srinagar Airport are delayed due to low visibility. The operations will commence on weather improvement." In the last two days, 79 flights to and from the Srinagar...

Jammu Kashmir administration on Wednesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with UAE-based LuLu Group to set up a food processing and logistics hub in Srinagar. The MoU was signed in the presence of Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha, and LuLu Group Chairman, Yusuf Ali MA. Speaking at the occasion, Lt Governor said, “Relations between India and UAE are long-standing and deep-rooted. People-to-people contact and trade have seen momentum in the recent years under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.” “The world-famous GI-tagged saffron has been launched at LuLu Hypermarket, which I see as a major step towards boosting Jammu Kashmir and Dubai partnership. LuLu group is already importing apples from Jammu Kashmir. And with saffron, we are adding Kashmir’s finest spic...

Three militants affiliated with Jaish-e-Mohammad including a non-local were killed in an encounter in Chandgam area of South Kashmir's Pulwama district, officials said on Wednesday. Inspector General of Police for Kashmir zone Vijay Kumar said that three JeM militants included one non local were killed in Chandgam encounter. He said that incriminating material, arms and ammunition including 2 M-4 carbine and 1 AK series rifle were recovered from the spot. He termed the killing of three militants including a non local a big success for security forces. #PulwamaEncounterUpdate: 03 #militants of outfit JeM including one #Pakistani national killed. #Incriminating materials, arms & ammunition including 2 M-4 carbine and 1 AK series rifle recovered. A big success for us: IGP Kash...

’Transformer Requisitioned By Chief Engineer Concerned Almost Year Before Yet To Be Installed’ Inhabitants in Salehagalwan in Nawabazar Srinagar are up in arms against Power Development Department over the persisting low-voltage issue even after a transformer was requisitioned for the locality by Chief Engineer almost a year ago. A delegation of the locals told GNS that there are at least forty households which are suffering for the want of proper electricity for a long time now. “The supply voltage is so low that most of the time, we are unable to charge even our mobile phones”, a local said. “It happened that after persuasion, the JE concerned conducted an on-ground assessment of the locality and it was only after he found the grievance as genuine a requisition was drafted where...

Four M-4 rifles recovered, around 80 foreign militant’s active in Kashmir: Top officials Twelve militants including five foreigners who were affiliated with Jaish-e-Mohammad outfit were killed in four separate encounters in Kashmir in the last eight days. As per the data available with the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), 12 militants which include five non- local militants were killed in four separate encounters in Kashmir. On 29 December, three militants namely Shahid Alias Shahzaid resident of Pakistan, Muhammad Shafi Dar of Tral and Uzair Ahmad of Mirhama Kulgam were killed in Mirhama area of Kulgam district. On 30 December, three militants namely Sultan alias Mavia a foreigner, Nisar Ahmad Khanday of Dudwangan Kapran and Altaf Ahmad Shah a resident of Nathipora Doo...