Category: Union Territory

Kupwara: A group of 13 Kashmiri Pandits headed by Rakesh today called upon Deputy Commissioner Kupwara, Anshul Garg and apprised him about the fake news that has been viral on facebook regarding demolition of Temple at Waterkhani Kupwara.

The pandit group condemned this act and called it a handy work of the mischievous person responsible for circulating the fake news on social media.

“The fact is that the temple was damaged due to heavy snowfall in February, this year and the tomb of the Temple had fallen in the nearby LalKhul,” said Rakesh.

He added that since there are 500 government employees residing in Nutnussa migrant colony, the employees decided to contribute some amount to refurbish the said Temple and on Saturday they visited the Waterkhani Temple site and decided to work on its repairs with due permission of concerned Revenue authorities.

In fact, on our request, they assured all possible support and we are to ensure renovation of the Temple on religious basis, said Rakesh, flanked by his fellow members.

“We unanimously condemn the act of the mischievous person who is hell-bent upon to vitiate the century old communal harmony”, said Rakesh, adding that he is son of the soil and all the local people and panchs and sarpanchs have assured him support for renovation of the Temple.

The Deputy Commissioner appreciated the Pandit Community for clearing the air on fake news and simultaneously assured them of every support from administration.

He said the district as a whole does not tolerate the mischievous acts like this and whosoever is behind this mischief should apologize for his mistake for the larger interest of the society.

The DC also said that people should take utmost care while reacting to such malicious social media news and instead should contact administration for the clarifications.

Shocked to hear about reports of 3 missing labourers reportedly killed in a staged encounter at Shopian.Armed forces have a free hand to operate with impunity.Explains why bodies are allowed to decompose at unknown locations.Probes into recent encounters must be ordered

@MehboobaMufti

Shocked to hear about reports of 3 missing labourers reportedly killed in a staged encounter at Shopian.Armed forces have a free hand to operate with impunity.Explains why bodies are allowed to decompose at unknown locations.Probes into recent encounters must be ordered https://t.co/7uoNlVIuuN

— Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) August 10, 2020

PTI

Jammu: Pakistani troops opened fire on forward posts along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir on Monday in violation of a ceasefire agreement, a defence spokesman said.

The unprovoked firing from across the border started in the Balakote sector around 10.15 am and was given a befitting response by Indian Army personnel guarding the LoC, the spokesman said.

He said the cross-border firing between the two sides was going on when last reports were received.

However, there was no report of any casualty, the spokesman said.

Officials said Pakistan Army personnel also fired mortar shells targeting Tarkundi village, causing panic among residents.

On Sunday, Pakistani troops resorted to heavy shelling in Mankote, Shahpur, Kirni and Krishna Ghati sectors.

PTI

Jammu: A Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) youth leader on Monday joined the Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party (JKAP) here, a party leader said.

Malik Mohammad Umar, the general secretary of the PDP’s youth wing, was welcomed into the JKAP by senior leaders including former minister Dilawar Mir, the leader said.

Hailing from Kishtwar district of Chenab Valley region, Umar said he had learnt a lot during his association with the PDP but felt the need to be part of a better platform which can work with the people and take the Union Territory to new heights of development.

“There are some leaders in the PDP who are enjoying power despite having no connections with the grassroots. We have a lot of issues in Chenab valley where the majority of the people are craving for basic medical facilities, better roads, electricity and drinking water,” he said.

Umar, a lawyer by profession, said, “The Apni Party led by former minister Altaf Bukhari has generated a hope among the people and it is the best available platform which is connected with the ordinary people and can resolve their issues.

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir on Monday reported 470 new covid-19 cases including 107 travelers, taking the total tally past 25000 mark.

Among them, 102 were reported from Jammu and 368 from Kashmir Valley.
Giving district-wise breakup, official sources told GNS that Srinagar reported 115, Baramulla 41,
Pulwama 30, Kulgam 10, Shopian 14, Anantnag 16, Budgam 31, Kupwara 17, Bandipora 79, Ganderbal 15, Jammu 58, Rajouri 5, Ramban 16, Kathua 8, Udhampur 2, Samba 5, Doda 4, Reasi 2 and Kishtwar2.

In Kashmir, Srinagar tops the list with 6263 cases followed by Baramulla with 2178, Pulwama 1860, Kulgam 1619, Budgam 1568, Shopian 1534, Anantnag 1569, Kupwara 1273, Bandipora 1101 and Ganderbal 689.

In Jammu division, Jammu district has 1613 cases, Rajouri 763, Ramban 605, Kathua 602, Udhampur 625, Samba 522, Doda 315, Poonch 275, Reasi 228and Kishtwar 165.

Moreover 372 more COVID-19 patients have recovered and discharged from various hospitals, 90 from Jammu Division and 282 from Kashmir Valley, the officials added. (GNS)

Srinagar: Eight more people died due to covid-19 in Kashmir Valley since overnight, taking the fatality count due to the virus to 481 in J&K, officials said on Monday.

Official sources told GNS that the victims include a 70-year-old man from Palpora Kulgam, an elderly woman from Buchoo Tral Pulwama, a 65-year-old man from Chidibugh Tral Pulwama, a 71-year-old man from Yaripora Kulgam, a 45-year-old man from Palpora Srinagar, a sexagenarian man from Arampora Ganderbal, a 47-year-old man from Rainawari Srinagar and a 65-year-old woman from Budgam.

Regarding the septuagenarian from Palpora Kulgam, a doctor at district hospital Kulgam told GNS that the he was brought to hospital yesterday and died on the same day. “The family had called officials on covid-19 helpline and later be was brought the hospital and died shortly after admission. His test returned positive for the novel coronavirus later,” the doctor added.

The woman from Buchoo Tral was admitted to SMHS hospital as a case of bilateral community acquired pneumonia and died last night at SMHS hospital. “Her COVID swab was detected as positive,” a senior official said. A relative of the woman told GNS over phone that by mistake her residence was registered as Kulgam instead of Buchoo Tral. “She died at around 7 p.m. last night (August 9). Subsequently we took the body by undertaking that we will follow the covid-19 protocol and later we were informed that her sample has returned positive for the virus,” the relative added.

Regarding the 65-year-old man from Tral, they said, he was admitted to SMHS hospital on August 1 and was later diagnosed with bilateral pneumonia. “He died at 1 p.m. on August 10,” they said.

Regarding the man from Yaripora, they said, he was admitted on August 01 and was as a case of “BHP, HTN and bilateral viral Pneumonia,” He passed at around 1:10 p.m.,” they said.

Meanwhile, a regarding four others deaths, they said, two each were reported from SKIMS Soura and SMHS here. All of them had underlying ailments, they said.

Regarding man from Rainawari, they said, he was admitted with bilateral pneumonia to SMHS hospital on August 1 and passed away on Sunday night.

The woman from Budgam, they said, was admitted to the SMHS hospital on 23 July with bilateral pneumonia and lost battle with the disease on Monday morning.

Regarding the man from Palpora, Srinagar, officials at SKIMS Soura said that he was admitted on 21 July and died today.

Regarding the man from Arampora Ganderbal, the officials said, he was admitted on August 6 and died today.

With these deaths, officials said, 481 people have died duo to the virus in Jammu and Kashmir so far. Among them, they said, 486 were from the Valley while 35 others from Jammu division.

Srinagar district with 155 deaths tops the list followed by Baramulla (82), Budgam (36), Anantnag (33), Kulgam (32), Pulwama (32), Kupwara (27), Shopian (24), Jammu (23), Bandipora (18), Ganderbal (8), two each in Rajouri, Doda and Udhampur besides one each in Ramban, Samba, Poonch, and Kathua. (GNS)

Srinagar: Former IAS officer turned politician, Shah Faesal is likely to join back administration after he was conveyed by authorities that his resignation has not still been accepted, top sources said.

Interestingly, despite Faesal submitting his resignation and forming a political party called the Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Movement (JKPM), his name was not removed from the list of J&K cadre IAS officers on the official website of the government.

Faesal on Sunday lent credence to news reports that he is likely to join back by dropping his political bio from his twitter handle. His twitter bio said on Sunday evening, “Edward S Fellow @HKS Harvard University, Medico. Fulbright. Centrist.” He obviously has chosen to drop his political bio as the founder of the JKPM.

He topped the 2010 civil services exam and was allotted his home cadre of the IAS.

Known as an honest and upright officer, Faesal’s well wishers had cautioned him in 2018, when he resigned to join politics, that politics might not be his cup of tea. Sources here also said the government has recently “send him feelers that they are not averse to his joining back the civil service”.

If he chooses to join back, Faesal would have created another record for the shortest political career in Jammu and Kashmir. He founded the JKPM in early 2019 amid much fanfare and expectations of an alternative political platform for the youth of J&K. (KNS)

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Monday recorded the death of four more lives, all from Kashmir region, taking the total number of people who died of dreaded virus in the UT to 480.

Officials told news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), that four patients who died include a 47-year-old man from Rainawari, a 45-year-old man from Palpora, Srinagar, a 55-year-old man from Arampora, Ganderbal and a 65-year-old woman from Budgam.

An official at SKIMS said that a 45-year-old man from Palpora, Srinagar who was admitted on 21 July died on Monday.

He further added that a 55-year-old man from Arampora Ganderbal who was admitted on 06 August died on Monday.

An official from SMHS told KNO that a 47-year-old man from Rainawari Srinagar who was admitted with bilateral pneumonia on ist August died on Sunday late night.

He added that a 65-year-old woman from Budgam who was admitted on 23 July with bilateral pneumonia died on Monday morning.

With four more deaths, the death toll in J&K has reached to 480 including 445 from Kashmir division and 35 from Jammu division—(KNO)

Srinagar: District Magistrate Srinagar has ordered extension in restrictions on public activities including operation of commercial establishments and movement in Srinagar.

The restrictions will continue to remain enforced for another week up to midnight on August 15.

The extension has been ordered keeping in mind the COVID-19 situation which continues to exist in the district.

Meanwhile the Srinagar district administration has initiated preparations ahead of the opening up of operations that the government has announced from August 16.

Over this next week the district administration will sensitise all the concerned about COVID-19 preventive guidelines and SOPs that need to be followed.

The idea is to ensure that the negligence reported during the last unlock – which resulted in rise in COVID-19 cases – is not repeated and that due care is taken to prevent further spread of the disease—(KNO)

PTI

Jammu: A young man was arrested on Sunday for allegedly strangling his wife to death in Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir, police said.

The 24-year-old victim, Sapna Devi, was found hanging from a tree in an agriculture field at Thub Thanol on June 9.

During investigation, the police team examined the spot and collected all circumstantial evidences which suggested murder and zeroed in on Devi’s husband Sudesh Kumar who broke down during interrogation and confessed to have murdered his wife, a police official said.

“Based on the post-mortem report, doctor’s opinion and other eye and circumstantial witnesses, police completed the inquest proceedings and registered a murder case against the accused,” the official said adding that a probe is underway and further details are awaited.