Srinagar, The death toll in Thursday's gunfight on Jammu and Kashmir's border has risen to six, and Indian troops are searching the area for more bodies, an official said Saturday. The incident took place at Uri in Baramulla district along the Line of Control (LoC) that divides Kashmir between India and Pakistan. "The gunfight ended Thursday but we are still carrying out searches," a military spokesman told IANS here. "Bodies of four terrorists were recovered Thursday while wireless intercepts of terrorists confirm that six were killed in the gun battle," the spokesman said. Soldiers on the border had laid an ambush to target a group of heavily armed guerrillas who were trying to infiltrate into the Kashmir Valley from Pakistan on Thursday. "We had intelligence for about a month that 30-40 heavily armed terrorists were planning to infiltrate. On Thursday we had actionable intelligence... We laid an ambush. "The infiltrators belonged to a mixed group of local and foreign terrorists. Since the terrain is hilly and rugged, the searches needed to be carried on for a longer time," Brigadier B.S. Raju told ...
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Jammu, Registration for the annual Amarnath pilgrimage, set to begin from June 25, commenced on Monday at 174 bank branches across the country. Registration of pilgrims visiting the shrine from both Baltal and Chandanwari routes began across the country through 174 bank branches and Internet based e-registration system. The Shri Amarnath Shrine Board has set up registration counters at 121 designated branches of the J-K Bank, 49 branches of the YES Bank and 4 District Cooperative Banks. "The registeration, which began around 15:00 hours today at J-K Bank branches of Bakshi Nagar, Gandhi Nagar and TRC saw large number of pilgrims aspiring to undertake pilgrimage to cave shrine of Amarnath in South Kashmir Himalayas," Zonal Head Jammu and Kashmir Bank O P Sharma told reporters today. "We have registered over 3300 pilgrims in Jammu apart from other agencies," Sharma said. The Amarnath yatra will commence simultaneously from Baltal and Chandanwari routes on June 25 and culminate on August 2. ...
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Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir (J and K) government on Wednesday began the proceedings for shifting its civil secretariat from the winter capital Jammu to the summer capital of Srinagar. Referred to as 'Durbar Move' in local lexicon, this annual century-old tradition reportedly costs the state exchequer over Rs. 100 million annually. The people in Srinagar are happy as their grievances would be heard and the government would take swift measures to address their woes. " People who have work in Jammu they get it done there and people in Srinagar who have work they get it done here. This is a very good thing that in winter session they secretariat operates from Jammu and in summer session they operate from Srinagar," said a local, Javed Ahmed. The civil secretariat closed in Jammu on Friday (April 27) and it would start functioning from Srinagar from Monday (May 07). "We will open office from the May 07 onwards and it would become operational from Monday (May 07th), " Nisar Ahmed, an employee of the secretariat, said. Srinagar is located 300 kilometers north of Jammu. The state government secretariat shifts every spring and autumn between the two capitals in ...
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Jammu, The troops of Border Security Force(BSF) arrested a Pakistan national when he infiltrated into the Indian Territory, from Indo-Pakistan International Border, in Pargwal area of tehsil Akhnoor on the city outskirts. "BSF troops yesterday noticed a suspicious movement along the border in Narsinghpora area of Pargwal," official sources here today said adding that they chased the suspect and arrested him. He was identified as Munawar Hussain, 32, son of Anwar Hussain, resident of Shiekhpora, Pakistan. "No incriminating material was recovered from his possession and he was handed over to the police for further investigations," he ...
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Srinagar, A police officer was critically injured Friday when separatist guerrillas shot at him near a police station in this Jammu and Kashmir summer capital, police said. "Separatist guerrillas fired from close range at Sukhpal singh, assistant sub-inspector of police, near the Bagyaz police station in the city Friday. He has been moved to hospital for treatment," a police officer told IANS. Hospital sources added that Sukhpal Singh received two bullet injuries and was in a critical condition. No separatist group has accepted responsibility till now. With the mountain passes reopening as spring begins, security sources have been put on high alert to thwart infiltration into the Kashmir ...
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Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday termed the shifting of the state capital between Jammu and Srinagar twice every year as "waste of money", but said no viable alternative to the arrangement has come forth so far. "Do I think the 'Durbar move' (shifting of capital) is a waste of money? Yes I do. Is there an alternative? I haven't seen a viable alternative suggested," Omar wrote on the micro-blogging site twitter.com. The state government shifts its capital from Jammu to Srinagar in the first week of May every year and functions here for six months before moving back to Jammu along with volumes of records. The state government spends crores of rupees on travel allowances for the nearly 5,000 employees and transportation of hundreds of thousands of files between the twin capitals. In response to a tweet from his follower, Omar said the Darbar move practice was "escapist". "I agree. We run away when people need us most and (they) face the most difficulty. The darbar move is escapist," he said. The state government's 'move offices', as they are known in local parlance, will close in Jammu on April 28 and reopen here on May 7. The ...
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Jammu, There was uproar in the Jammu and Kashmir assembly on Monday when independent MLA Abdul Rasheed raised the issue of clemency to the 2001 Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru. Rasheed said that he condemned the attack but making a scapegoat of Afzal Guru will not solve problems. He added that many are discussing Afzal's case but no one listens to those who ask for his clemency. Reacting to Union minister Farooq Abdullah's recent statement, Rasheed said, "If Dr Abdullah has said Afzal Guru has to pay the price then those who kill Kashmiris should also pay the price." His statement met with strong objections from legislative members of the BJP and Panthers Party. JKNPP MLA Harsh Dev Singh said, "Clemency petition is with the President of India, he should be asked to go to the President." Harsh and another member accused Rasheed of playing to the gallery and wasting the time of the house. Rasheed again raised the issue after the question hour but he was marshalled out of the house. Afzal was given death penalty by the Supreme Court in 2004. His mercy petition is pending before the president. ...
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Srinagar, Eleven army personnel were killed and eight are missing in two overnight avalanches in Jammu and Kashmir, an army official said on Thursday. While eight were killed in Bandipora district, another three were buried under the avalanche in Ganderbal district, the official said. Both the areas are in north Kashmir. Lt. Col. J.S. Brar, spokesman of the Srinagar-based 15 Corps, told IANS: "Eight army troopers were killed and eight are still missing while 13 have been rescued from the avalanche that struck the brigade headquarters in Dawar village of Gurez subdivision of Bandipora Wednesday night." "Operations are still on to rescue the eight buried under the avalanche," he said. Gurez is located 109 km from here. "Three soldiers of the Territorial Army, including a junior commissioned officer, were killed in another avalanche that struck an army camp late Wednesday night in Sonmarg resort in Ganderbal," he added. Ganderbal is 87 km from Srinagar. In a third avalanche, more than a dozen hutments in Ramwari area of Ganderbal during the night, but no loss of life occurred in the incident. The area is inhabited by nomadic goatherds during the summer as they take ...
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Jammu, While speaking on the current hot issue of National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) here on Wednesday, Union minister for new and renewable energy, Farooq Abdullah said that the Central government will not be able to counter terrorism without the states' cooperation. Talking to media-persons at the sidelines of Talent Hunt Program organized by the Bbeing undertaken by the National Cricket Academy, Farooq said, "It is good that finally the prime minister has consulted the state chief ministers on NCTC because Centre should not have taken any decision without consulting them. Union minister said that nobody curtailed the state authorities intentionally. There has been some mistake on forming NCTC but now the prime minister has written letters chief ministers and the matter will be resolved soon. Meanwhile on a proposal that would amount to taking away the powers of the Election Commission to enforce the Model Code of Conduct, Farooq said, "The powers of Election Commission should not be affected.'' The union minister further observed that it is an autonomous body and the powers should not be taken away. . He told that the objective of the NCTC is to ensure that ...
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Kashmir, Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah today favoured Centre-state consultations to put at rest any controversy over setting up of National Counter-Terrorism Centre (NCTC). "There has been no discussion between state government and the central government on the issue of NCTC. I do not think it would be appropriate as chief minister for me to publicly comment about it, before I privately share the feelings of the state government with the Union government on this crucial issue," Omar Abdullah told reporters on sidelines of a function here, 20km from Srinagar. He said consultation between the Centre and the states was essential to put at rest the controversy surrounding NCTC. "I have no doubt that in the days and months ahead, the central government will call the state governments for consultation. I believe consultation is essential and during the course of that consultation we will share the thoughts of the state government with the Centre," he said. Chief ministers of a dozen states have voiced their opposition to the creation of the NCTC but Omar Abdullah did not speak either in favour or against ...
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Srinagar, Concerned over the reports about the highest number of 67 per cent passive smokers, one of the causes for cancer, Jammu and Kashmir Voluntary Health Association (VHO) today urged people to take a pledge to join the global fight against cancer to reduce premature deaths from this devastating disease. This was stated in an awareness programme for NGO partners and volunteers conducted by VHA at its headquarters Pandrethan to observe the World Cancer Day. The meeting was attended by A K Wani, senior Program Manager VHA, Dr A A Tahir, Wings Organisation and Balbir Singh, district Coordinator, Axshya Project, JKVHA and its partner NGOs and Volunteers, Officer on Special Duty (OSD) Aamir Ali in the office of Divisional Commissioner, Dr Asgar Hassan Samoon said. He said it was revealed that cancer is a leading cause of deaths around the world. In India, tobacco alone is responsible for cancers, million heart diseases and million lung diseases every year. India is the oral cancer capital of the world because of rampant habit of Tobacco chewing. Over 65 per cent of cancer in India is contributed to Tobacco related breast and cervical cancer. Scientific ...
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Jammu, Playing down the row over visit of controversial author Salman Rushdie to India, the Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday said Rushdie had visited the country in the past as well. Abdullah claimed that vested interest have raked up the issue to exploit it for political purposes in the upcoming elections in the five states. “Salman Rushdie has come before this also. Why suddenly is Salman Rushdie becoming an issue? Clearly there are those who are seeking to exploit this for political purposes given that there are elections in five states,” said Abdullah. Abdullah said that it was unnecessary to blow the issue of Rushdie’s visit to India out of proportion. “We underestimate the intelligence of Indian Muslims when we try to raise issues like this which have no bearing on day to day concerns of Muslims. I don’t believe that there are many Muslims in India for whom visa to Salman Rushdie will be an election issue,” added Abdullah. An influential Islamic seminary, Darululoom Deoband seminary, has urged the central government to deny visa to Rushdie, who would be attending a literature festival later this month. India-born ...
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Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir Minister for Flood and Control Taj Mohi-ud-Din today said the NHPC was never given ownership of power projects as per the provisions of law except their execution, operation and maintenance in Jammu and Kashmir. "Even the agency status given to the corporation expired in 1987. Therefore, these projects actually belong to the State and the NHPC was never given ownership of power projects," Mr Taj said while speaking at the national seminar on 'Management of Water Resources in North India', at University of Jammu here this morning. He said a cabinet sub-committee however, has recommended for payment to the corporation for taking over Uri and Salal projects which would enable Jammu and Kashmir to become not only self sufficient in power but also export it to other States and strengthen the economy of the state to stand on own legs. "Government has constituted a cabinet sub-committee which is examining the issue and we intend to buy back Uri and Salal hydel projects on the depreciated value which can make Jammu and Kashmir a surplus in power generation," the Minister added. The Minister further said the Government has initiated the process to ...
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Srinagar, An avalanche warning has been issued in the higher reaches of Jammu and Kashmir and people have been told not to leave their homes, an official said Saturday. The divisional disaster management cell has issued an avalanche warning to people living in Gurez, Tangdhar, Machil, Keran, Karnah and Uri regions of the state. "The residents of these areas must try to avoid movement outside their homes as far as possible," Amir Ali, in charge of the divisional disaster management cell, said. Snow clearance operations have started in Srinagar where roads are being cleared but inter-district connectivity between Srinagar and other places of the valley has been affected. Report of heavy snowfall has come in from north Kashmir Gulmarg ski resort and Sonamarg tourist resort, and south Kashmir Pahalgam hill ...
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Srinagar, Separatist guerrillas Saturday attacked the convoy of the Sopore district police chief in Jammu and Kashmir, injuring two of his guards and a civilian, police said. "Militants attacked the cavalcade of the Sopore Superintendent of Police, Syed Imtiyaz Hussain. They first lobbed a grenade and then fired from automatic weapons. Two of his guards and a civilian were injured," a senior police officer told IANS. Sopore in north Kashmir is 54 km from ...
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Srinagar, The 300 km-long Srinagar-Jammu Highway has been closed due to snowfall and slippery road conditions, a traffic police official said here this morning. He said the highway, linking the Kashmir valley with the rest of the country, was closed early this morning following snowfall on both sides of the Jawahar tunnel. The road, he said, has also become very slippery forcing authorities to suspend traffic to avoid any accident. He said the road will be opened after the snow is cleared by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), responsible for maintenance of the highway. ...
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Jammu, In a bid to tackle rising cyber crime, Jammu and Kashmir Police would soon establish two special cyber cells in twin districts of Jammu and Srinagar to curb the menace. "In view of cyber crime, the police department has planned to set up two special cyber cells at Jammu and Srinagar cities to tackle and counter any cyber crime related incident,’’ Farooq Khan Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Jammu-Kathua Range said this afternoon. Mr Khan was addressing a press conference ahead of Second Police Martyr’s Memorial North Zone Inter-Club T-20 Cricket Championship to be held from December 11 to January 8 at Mini Stadium, Kathua The DIG said the Department is aware of cyber crime and all efforts are being made to counter the crime which also includes establishing two cyber cells in the state. On border management, the DIG said, ‘’With the cooperation of security forces and para-military troops, state police is also maintaining vigil on anti-national elements along the international border and within the city as well.’’ Mr Khan said the Village Defence Committees (VDCs) have been strengthened to thwart any nefarious designs of the anti-socials adding, ...
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Chandigarh, February 5 (Doaba News Service)- The Punjab and Haryana High Court yesterday issued a Notice of Motion for March 29 to the state of Punjab and other respondents on a petition filed in public interest for quashing January 27 order granting one year extension in service to employees retiring between January 22 and December 31. The petitioner threw a challenge to the order on grounds, including large-scale persisting unemployment and decreasing job opportunities due to shifting of industries to neighbouring states like Jammu and Kashmir, Uttranchal and Himachal Pradesh. The order implementing the decision of the state Cabinet taken on January 22 was patently illegal, erroneous, unjust, improper and in utter disregard of the Punjab Civil Services Rules, petitioners Ravinder Singh Rana and two others ...
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Jammu, January 26 (Doaba News Service)- The Indian Army was put on alert following heavy exchange of fire at the India-Pakistan border in Jammu and Kashmir early on Tuesday following a major infiltration bid, defence sources said on Tuesday as the country celebrated its 61st Republic Day. The firing, at the Kanachak sector near Akhnoor, 30 km northwest from Jammu, started at 2 am and went on four hours. Officials said Pakistani Rangers provided covering fire to a group of infiltrators. The BSF men retaliated and the guns fell silent around 6 am. The Indian Army has been put on alert along the border, where the first line of defence is provided by the BSF. Army sources said troops were put on alert after the fire started from Pakistani side. They described the firing as heavy and said it was a clear attempt by Pakistan to push terrorists into India on Republic Day. The exchange of fire was heavy for about two hours initially. "Thereafter, it was intermittent firing that lasted till 6 am," Director General of Police Kuldeep Khoda told reporters. It was the 15th ceasefire violation incident and infiltration attempt from across the border this month. "Pakistan is desperate to ...
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Muktsar, January 14 (DNS)- Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today warned Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to restrain Congress activists from interfering in Sikh religious affairs to prevent serious consequences. Badal was addressing a political conference of the SAD here at the Maghi mela on the occasion of Lohri. Deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal, Punjab BJP president Rajinder Bhandari and SGPC chief Avtar Singh Makkar were among those present. The Chief Minister asked Manmohan Singh to rein in those Congress leaders who were trying to disturb peace by interfering in the religious affairs of the Sikhs in view of the coming general elections to the SGPC. Such manoeuvring of the Congress was a threat to Sikh-Hindu unity in the state, he said. He alleged that the Congress had been trying to capture the SGPC through its “agents” but so far had miserably failed to achieve this because the Sikhs in general had understood its gameplan and refused to oblige it. He called upon the people not to be swayed by the false propaganda of the Congress to destabilise the SGPC through its “cronies” like Paramjit Singh Sarna. Accusing the Congress of engineering the anti-Sikh riots of 1984, ...
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