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Srinagar, Aug 19: Two policemen and a civilian were on Thursday evening injured after militants lobbed a grenade towards joint naka party at Saraf Kadal area of Srinagar.

Official sources informed the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that militants lobbed a grenade towards the joint naka party of CRPF 23 battalion and police.

They said that two policemen identified as Javeed Ahmad and Abdul Majeed Bhat sustained injuries during the attack. “Javed has received an injury in right leg while Majeed has suffered injuries in chest,” they said.

They added that a civilian identified as Fayaz Ahmad Mattoo of Khawaja Bazar Srinagar has also suffered injuries in right leg.

The official sources added that the trio have been shifted to the hospital for treatment and are stable.

Meanwhile, the area has been cordoned off to nab the attackers—(KNO)

The current situation in Afghanistan is now affecting its neighbouring countries. India has said that the Taliban has stopped cross-border trade with it. Generally, freight trains between the two countries pass through the route of Pakistan.

The Federation of Indian Export Organization (FIEO) has said that the movement of vehicles has now been stopped, due to which the import and export of goods worth millions of dollars has stopped.

A Taliban fighter looks on as he stands at the city of Ghazni, Afghanistan (Photo: Reuters)

Afghanistan is its biggest ally in terms of trade for India. India has invested millions of dollars for the development of dams, schools and roads in Afghanistan.

FIEO Director General Dr Ajay Sahai told news agency ANI, “We are constantly monitoring the situation in Afghanistan. The goods imported from there come to India via Pakistan. All freight trains have been stopped. In a way, imports have come to a complete standstill.”

A report by the International Trade Center on Afghanistan’s export strategy According to India, India is one of the largest importers of dry fruits in the world.

In terms of importing dry fruits, India is at number four after America, Germany and Hong Kong.

According to the report, India imports large quantities of dry fruits from Afghanistan. Apart from India, Pakistan also fulfills its dry fruit requirement from here.

According to the report, India is the biggest buyer of Afghanistan in terms of export of almonds, raisins, pistachios, figs.

Srinagar August 19: Amid apprehensions among people, authorities at Food Safety Department Kashmir said that dressed chicken is safe to eat if kept in a cold chain store.
There are apprehensions among people in Kashmir that dressed chicken was unsafe to eat.
However, Assistant Commissioner Food Safety Department Hilal Ahmad Mir said dressed chicken is safe to eat if kept in cold storage stores.

“They (dressed chicken) are not harmful if they are placed in cold storage chain. Earlier there was no cold storage chain in Kashmir. Now cold storage stores are available and the dressed is totally safe. We only have to ensure chicken is slaughtered through Halaal means,” Mir told news agency Kashmir Indepth News Service (KINS).
Meat is a perishable product with a short shelf life. Therefore, cold chain management in meat supply is of utmost importance for the maintenance of quality and safety of meat/poultry products. Raw meat/meat products are likely to support the growth of pathogenic microorganisms and/or spoilage bacteria, and should be kept at temperatures that do not result in a risk to health.
Mir said they want safe food reaches to people. “We have to ensure there is no food adulteration. Our food safety officers collect samples then send them to competent laborities and based on results we take further action,” he said.
“Food Safety Standard of India over looks food safety and standards act. Recently a flagship programme was started in Srinagar for surveillance and enforcement drives have also been increased,” he said.
Mir said some food items have been found of substandard quality but all are safe in Kashmir. “We are making awareness among people including in educational institutions what to eat and ensure there is no sale of substandard food items in markets.”
Mir said they have put a curb on usage of synthetic colours in food items by restaurant owners or vendors. “But we are still receiving complaints that some chefs are using synthetic colours in Wazwaan at weddings. Similarly, some vendors are not maintaining hygiene. We warn them to avoid such things or action will be taken against them,” he said. (KINS)

Kulgam, Aug 19: Suspected militants shot dead Jammu Kashmir Apni Party leader in South Kashmir’s Kulgam district.

Sources told news agency Kashmir News Trust that militant fired upon one Ghulam Hasan Lone at his home at Devsar Kulgam.

He sustained serious bullet injuries resulting in his death.

The deceased was reportedly former Block President of PDP who had later joined Apni Party as Zonal President.

Malvinder Singh Mali, advisor to Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu, sparked a controversy when he claimed on Twitter that Kashmir was a separate country.

Malvinder Singh Mali, one of four advisors to Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu, on Wednesday claimed that Kashmir was a separate country and both India and Pakistan were illegal occupants.

In a tweet, Malvinder Singh Mali wrote, “Kashmir is a separate country and India and Pakistan are illegal occupants. It belongs to the people of Kashmir.”

The tweet has attracted criticism from various quarters, both within and outside the Congress party.

Jammu: An unidentified militant has been killed in an ongoing encounter with joint team of police and army in Rajouri district, official sources said.

So far a Junior Commissioned Officer of army was killed in the gunfight which started in Kalas area of Thanamandi area of the district after a contact was established with militants during a cordon-and-search operation by a joint searching party of army and police, the officials said.

Meanwhile the operation was continuing when this report was filed. Army’s defence ministry spokesman based in Jammu has confirmed the killing of the JCO.(GNS)

Rajouri, Aug 19: An army officer was killed while another soldier was injured in the ongoing encounter that broke out between militants and security forces in Thanamandi area of Rajouri district on Thursday morning, officials said here.

An army spokesperson told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) during the encounter in Thanamandi area of Rajouri, one JCO of Rashtriya Rifles suffered bullet injuries.

“The JCO was immediately evacuated to nearest medical facility but later succumbed to his injuries,” he said.

Earlier, an official said that the encounter broke out in Karyote Kalas area, where a cordon and search operation was launched on Wednesday after reports of suspicious movement.

He said that today morning as the forces were zeroing in on the suspected spot, militants fired upon the them, triggering an encounter.

The official said that more reinforcement has been rushed to the spot—(KNO)

Magnitude: 3.6
Date & time: 19 Aug 2021 – 5:08 a.m.
Depth: 5.0 km

Epicenter latitude / longitude: 32.7°N / 75.4°E (Udhampur, Jammu and Kashmir)

Antipode: 32.7°S / 104.6°W

Nearby towns and cities:
30 km ENE of Samba
35 km SE of Udhampur
39 km NNW of Kathua
50 km E of Jammu
164 km SSE of Srinagar

Weather at epicenter at time of quake:
Clear Sky: 16.2°C, humidity: 71%, wind: 5 kts from NE

Primary data source: NCS (National Center for Seismology)

Via: Kashmir Weather

Estimated released energy: 1.6 x 10¹⁰ joules (4.4 megawatt hours, equivalent to 3.79 tons of TNT)

In a small village of Kunan in North Kashmir’s Bandipora district, people carried a-48-year-old female patient on their shoulders for about a kilometer due to lack of road connectivity.

Hapatnar-Babagund a small hamlet is located about one kilometer from Kunan village of the district where as per official record, 23 families live- all below poverty line (BPL).

Locals told news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that a female diabetic patient, Shama-Parveen was suffering from pain in her right hand due to infection, but the village does not have about a kilometre of road.

“So we had to carry her on our shoulders to Kunan. From there we drove the patient to the district hospital Bandipora,” they said.

People who carried the patient on their shoulders said, on the way to the road, the three of them were taking turns carrying the patients on their shoulders.

Junaid Qureshi, the patient’s son, said that there is still no proper road in his village which highlights the lack of basic facilities, even in an emergency situation, in the village.

“When we reached the district hospital, doctors told me that I was lucky to arrive early and immediately my mother was shifted to Srinagar for advanced treatment,” he said.

Meanwhile, locals appealed district administration Bandipora to pay due attention to their area so that their sufferings and miseries will come to an end.

In a video which has also gone viral on social media, three persons can be seen ferrying a patient on their shoulders and are walking on a path full of small rocks to reach the Kunan main road.

Meanwhile, an official from district administration when contacted said that he will look into the matter. An official, however, said that the hamlet is already connected with nearest Bandipora-Arin motorable road, and the same will be repaired very soon if required.

KNO