The Jammu Kashmir Police has reactivated village defence committees (VDCs) to deal with the threat of militancy in the Union Territory's Reasi district, officials said on Sunday. Though they are not professionally trained but they are highly committed towards self and community defence against terrorists, who are equipped with sophisticated weapons, they said. VDCs have proved a stone wall defence against militancy in remote hilly areas of the Jammu zone, the officials said. Considering them an invaluable asset to the police department and a force multiplier for security of the region, district police chief Shailender Singh chalked out a detailed strategy of practice fire for VDC members in Reasi. Considering it an important exercise for those who have not checked their weapons...

Keeping up with the tradition of communal harmony and brotherhood, Kashmiri Muslims and Pandits in this scorching heat once again jointly performed the last rites of two Pandit women in South Kashmir's Kulgam district on Sunday. Reports reaching the news agency said that as soon as the news of two Kashmiri pandit women Chand Rani (80) and Kaushali Devi (83) death spread in the area, the members of Muslim community came together to help the Kashmiri Pandit family in performing their last rites. “From setting up the cremation pyre to the last minute details of carrying the earthen pot to the cremation ground, local Muslims did all, besides carrying the bodies for the final journey,” the reports said. Reports said that the deceased women were later cremated in the cremation ground by...

Some people in Pahalgam are illegally entering into a golf course thereby putting the golf tracks under threat on which lakhs of rupees have been spent. Sources said that fencing of the golf especially from the side of Grand Mumtaz hotel is very weak and some employees are allowing people to enter into golf and mint money from them. Sources also said that sub standard material is being used in dressing of golf tracks in Pahalgam. They said that they are putting a mixture of pebbles and sand on the track while as per schedule they have to put clean sand on it. Meanwhile, labourers working in the golf alleged that they are being harassed by the contractor whenever they seek salary and other things. “We are working here from last 10 years and 9 months per year but now we are be...

National Investigation Team (NIA) on Sunday carried out raids at multiple places in Kashmir Valley and arrested several persons. Sources told GNS that NIA team along with Jammu Kashmir Police and paramilitary CRPF raided several places in South Kashmir and Srinagar in connection with some case(s) details of which were no known hitherto. The raid at Srinagar followed by similar action from NIA at villages Pushroo, Sunsooma, and Achabal in South Kashmir. The NIA teams arrested several persons there including one Javaid Ahamad Mir (28), son of Mohammad Shaban Mir resident of Sunsooma, has done MBA and is shopkeeper by profession. Umar Bhat, son of Nisar Ahamad Bhat, resident of Magray Mohallah Achabal  is running ready-made garment shop at Achbal. Ovais Ahmad Bhat (Lab Technici...

A 28-year-old woman was killed on Saturday evening after she was hit by an Army vehicle in the Yaripora area of South Kashmir's Kulgam district. An official told that a woman identified as Rohi Jan, 28, wife of Aabid Ahmad of Kharibarari village of Shopian, was hit by an Army vehicle at Kaddar Kulgam this evening. Ruhi, who suffered critical injuries in the accident, was rushed to a nearby hospital; however, she succumbed to her injuries. Medical Superintendent DH Kulgam, Muzafar Zargar said that the woman was declared brought dead on arrival. KNO

Waris Shah The three Militants Militants killed in the encounter in the Kawarigam village of Achabal hamlet in South Kashmir’s Anantnag district have been identified as Locals. An official confirming the identity of the three slain to The Kashmiriyat said that the trio was affiliated to Lashkar e Taiba and they were all residents of South Kashmir, among the slain is a commander of the outfit. He identified them as Arif Hajam, a resident of Sadoora area in Anantnag, Basit Ahmed Ganie of Achabal and Suhail Bhat of Karimabad Pulwama. Suhail 23, went missing from his home in the Karimabad area in South Kashmir’s Pulwama district. Suhail Ahmad Bhat son of Mushtaq Ahmad Bhat, his family members had told The Kashmiriyat, went missing on June 8, and since then his whereabouts are un...