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  • Diesel prices hit a record-high

    New Delhi: Diesel prices have risen to a record high following twelve successive rate hikes in as many days by state oil companies.

    State oil companies raised prices of diesel and petrol by 64 paise and 53 paise per litre, respectively, on Thursday. With twelve straight hikes, the rates of diesel and petrol have gone up by a total of Rs 7.04 and Rs 6.55 per litre, respectively.

    Domestic fuel prices are setting new records at a time international rates of fuels are subdued. Crude oil is trading around $40 a barrel, up from $20 a barrel in late April, but much lower than $66 a barrel at the beginning of the year.

    Increased taxes by the central and state governments as well as oil companies’ expanded marketing margins have contributed to recent fuel price inflation. Companies are expected to follow the international market trend to determine domestic fuel prices, but they often deviate. Which is why Indian consumers have barely benefitted from the recent oil collapse.

    With inputs from The Economic Times

  • J&K: Anjuman-e-Islamia chief booked for sedition in Doda

    PTI

    Bhaderwah (Doda): Police on Saturday booked the president of Anjuman-e-Islamia, Bhaderwah for making a “provocative and seditious” statement during Friday prayers, an officer said.

    The FIR was registered against Pervaiz Ahmed Sheikh at the Bhaderwah Police Station for disobeying the orders of the district magistrate by organising Friday prayers, the officer said.

    The Anjuman president has been booked under sections 124 A (sedition) and 153 A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth), 505 B, 188 IPC (disobedience to order dully promulgated by public servant) and Epidemic disease Act after police took cognizance of his speech while addressing Friday congregation at Jamia Masjid, Bhaderwah, he said.

    The investigating officer of Doda Police said that Sheikh’s speech was provocative, deliberate and seditious and intended to cause disharmony and create a rift in the society.

    The case is being investigated by the senior officers of Bhaderwah Police, he said.

  • Two suspected militants killed in gunfight with security forces near Srinagar

    The gunfight broke out in Ranbirgarh area.

    Two suspected militants were killed in a gunfight with security forces in Jammu and Kashmir’s Ranbirgarh area on Saturday, the police said.

    Security forces launched a search operation in the area, which is located on the outskirts of Srinagar, after receiving information about the presence of suspected militants, an unidentified police official was quoted as saying by PTI.

    Further details awaited

    With inputs from Scroll.in

  • Unidentified Militant killed in encounter near Srinagar

    PTI

    Srinagar: An unidentified militant was killed in an encounter with the security forces on the outskirts of Srinagar on Saturday, police said.

    The security forces launched a cordon and search operation in Ranbirgarh area in the morning following inputs about the presence of militants there, a police official said.

    The forces retaliated when the ultras fired upon them. A militant was killed in the gunfight, the official said.

    The identity and group affiliation of the militant was being ascertained. The operation is going on and further details were awaited, he added.

  • 4 More Die Of Covid-19 In Kashmir, J&K Toll 302

    Srinagar: Kashmir Valley on Saturday reported four more deaths due to covid-19, taking the number of people succumbing to the virus to 302 in J&K.

    Among the fresh casualties, three were from Srinagar, the worst hit district both in terms of the causalities as well as number of the covid-19 cases, while another victim belonged to Baramulla, officials told GNS.

    They said a 70-year-old man from Peerbagh area of Srinagar, who was admitted on July 20, and tested positive for the virus subsequently, died at SKIMS Soura at 7 a.m. today.

    At 7:40 a.m., they said, another patient—a 75-year-old man from Rawalpora Srinagar— died at the tertiary care hospital. “He had cardio-pulmonary arrest. The patient was suffering from pneumonia and ARDS,” a senior doctor of the hospital told GNS.

    Later at 9:30 a.m., a 48-year-old woman from Kantbagh Baramulla passed away at the hospital, the doctor. She was admitted on July 22 and diagnosed as case of pneumonia and ARDS besides hypothyroidism, he added.
    Meanwhile, a 70-year-old woman from Safa Kadal area of Srinagar died at SMHS hospital, a senior doctor confirmed to GNS.

    The septuagenarian was admitted on July 21 and was suffering from pneumonia and hypertension, the doctor added.
    So far 280 deaths have been reported in Kashmir and 22 in Jammu division.

    Srinagar district with 85 deaths has the highest fatalities followed by Baramulla (63), Kulgam (26), Anantnag (21), twenty each in Shopian and Budgam, 16 each in Pulwama and Kupwara, Jammu(14), five each in Bandipora and Ganderbal, two each in Rajouri and Doda and one each in Poonch, Udhampur, and Kathua. (GNS)

  • Bank robbery foiled in J&K’s Kulgam, toy pistol seized

    PTI

    Srinagar: A bank robbery attempt was foiled in Kulgam district of Jammu and Kashmir and one person with a toy pistol was arrested, police said on Friday.

    Police in Kulgam arrested an individual for attempting to rob J&K Bank at Yaripora in the south Kashmir district, a police spokesman said.

    He said a toy pistol was also seized from the arrested person by the police.

    Giving details of the incident, the spokesman said, police received a distress call on Thursday night from J&K Bank in Yaripora that a person, pointing his pistol at a private security personnel, was threatening him to open the gates of the bank branch.

    Acting swiftly, a police party rushed to the spot, he said.

    Meanwhile, the spokesman said the alert security guards of the bank branch caught hold of the person and snatched the toy pistol from his possession.

    The person has been arrested and a case has been registered, he said.

    The spokesman said the bravery and commitment by the security guards of J&K Bank, Yaripora and prompt action by Kulgam police foiled the bank robbery attempt.

    The police lauds the bravery and commitment of the private security guards deployed at the bank, he said.

  • Five additional COVID testing labs being set up in J-K

    PTI

    Srinagar: Five additional COVID testing laboratories are being set up in the recently established government medical colleges in Jammu and Kashmir which would be functional in the next two weeks, an official spokesman said here on Friday.

    Jammu & Kashmir Medical Supplies Corporation Limited (JKMSCL) — a fully-owned company of the J-K government — has placed purchase orders for machinery and equipment for these laboratories, he said.

    The official said these labs are likely to be made functional in the next two weeks.

    The JKMSCL is leading the fight against COVID-19 by providing uninterrupted key medical supplies in the form of equipment, safety material and medicines, he said.

    Since the outbreak of the pandemic, the corporation has extended all resources to strengthen the healthcare institutions in the UT, the spokesman said, adding that it has provided 6,566 oxygen cylinders, including 2,673 for Jammu Division and 3,893 for Kashmir Division.

    In view of the rapid increase in serious patients in the Kashmir Division, purchase orders were placed for additional 5,192 (D-type and B-type) oxygen cylinders and supplies have started reaching the UT, he said.

    The spokesman said 2,800 oxygen concentrators have also been provided to COVID healthcare facilities (970 in Jammu and 1,830 in Kashmir).

    In addition to that, 327 ventilators have been provided — 151 in Jammu and 176 in Kashmir, he said.

    The installation of the ventilators is underway and an additional 400 ventilators are expected from the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare very shortly, the official said.

    Around 2,600 fingertip pulse oximeters, 3,000 non-contact thermometers, 776 patient monitors, 126 ECG units, 805 Fowler and Semi-Fowler beds, 840 bedside lockers, 1,200 saline stands etc have also been provided, he said.

    The spokesman said to ensure the safety of healthcare professionals, around 3.30 lakh PPE kits, 3.90 lakh N95 masks, 37 lakh triple-layer masks, 65,000 sanitisers etc have been made available, and sufficient stocks are being maintained to overcome any unforeseen event.

    To strengthen COVID testing in the existing labs, the JKMSCL has provided 6,04,000 Viral Transport Media (VTM) kits, 1,90,700 RT-PCR kits, 1,60,000 RNA Extraction kits, 25,000 Rapid Antigen Tests etc, he said.

    For treatment of very serious patients, the JKMSCL has placed a purchase order for 1020 vials of remdesivir, and supplies are expected shortly, the spokesman added.

  • Cipla launching mild and moderate Covid-19 treatment drug “Ciplenza” in August at ₹68 per tablet

    Pharmaceutical major Cipla Limited has announced receiving regulatory approval by the drug controller general of India (DCGI) for launching Favipiravir in the country to be sold under the brand name Ciplenza for restricted emergency use for the treatment of coronavirus patients.

    The company said that as part of its efforts to meet the demand for the medicine, it will commercially launch Ciplenza in the first week of August and each tablet will be priced at Rs 68.

    “To ensure fair and equitable distribution of the drug, supplies will be undertaken predominantly through hospital channels and via open channels, prioritised for regions with a high burden of Covid-19 cases,” a press release on the company’s website stated.

    The statement claims that an accelerated approval for Ciplenza’s manufacturing and marketing is aimed at meeting the urgent and unmet medical need for Covid-19 treatment options in the country.

    The drug has been jointly developed by Cipla and CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (IICT).

    “As part of this partnership, CSIR-IICT has successfully developed a convenient and cost-effective synthetic process for Favipiravir. The entire process and Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) of the drug has been transferred to Cipla to manufacture and market the drug at scale,” the statement says.

    Favipiravir is an off patent, oral antiviral drug, originally discovered by Fuji Pharma in Japan, and has shown promise in clinical trials for treatment of Covid-19 patients, especially in mild and moderate cases.

    Director of CSIR-IICR S Chandrashekhar was quoted by news agency PTI as saying that the technology transferred to Cipla is very efficient and affordable, allowing the company to make large quantities of the product within a short span of time.

    CSIR director general Shekhar C Mande said Ciplenza was another example of the institute’s commitment to work with the industry to develop quick solutions and products for mitigation of Covid-19.

    Earlier in June, drug manufacturing firm Glenmark Pharmaceuticals was given approval from the Indian drug regulator to launch oral antiviral drug favipiravir for treatment of mild to moderate Covid-19 patients in the country.

    Another Indian pharmaceutical company Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories (Dr Reddy’s) had recently announced signing a tripartite agreement with two international firms based in Japan and the UAE for the development, manufacturing and sales of favipiravir innovator brand Avigan.

    With inputs from the Hindustan Times

  • COVID-19: Death toll reaches 300 as 12 more loose fight with deadly virus in J&K

    Srinagar: The deadly novel Coronavirus on Friday claimed 12 more lives in Jammu and Kashmir, taking the total number of people who died due to the pandemic in the Union Territory to 300.

    Officials told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that eight patients who died include a 75-year-old man from Saderbal Srinagar, a 65-year-old man from Maharaj Gunj Srinagar, a 65-year-old woman from Malaknag Anantnag, a 58-year-old IRP Sub Inspector from Jammu, a 68-year-old woman from Sopore, a 70-year-old male from Rainawari Srinagar, a 75-year-old Lady from Peerbagh Srinagar, a 60-year-old male patient from Khanyar Srinagar, an 80-year-old lady from Sarnal Anantanag, a 50-year old woman from Tangmarg Baramulla, a 60-year old woman from Dab Ganderbal and a 44-year-old male from Karan Bagh Satwari Jammu.

    An official from SKIMS said that a patient from Saderbal was admitted on July 08 with multiple ailments and he died on Friday morning.

    Sources at SMHS said that a 65-year-old patient from Maharaj Gung, presently living at Kraltang Rajouri Kadal who was admitted on July 20 with bilateral Pneumonia and was tested positive on 22 July died on Friday.

    They said that a patient from Sopore who was admitted on July 21 with bilateral Pneumonia died at SMHS on Thursday and was tested positive for COVID-19 on Friday.

    They further added that a 60-year-old man from Khanyar who was admitted on 21 July with community acquired pneumonia died last evening and was tested positive on Friday.

    The health officials said that a 60-year old lady from Dab Ganderbal who was admitted with hypertension and pneumonia on 18 July died on Friday evening.

    “A 50 year old lady from Tangmarg Baramulla who was admitted on 23 July with multiple ailments died on Friday and was tested positive for covid-19 after her death,” They added.

    A health official at GMC Anantnag said that a 65-year-old woman from Malaknag Anantnag who was admitted on July 22 died at GMC Anantnag on Friday morning.

    He said the patient was suffering from hypertension, pneumonia and other ailments.

    He further added that an 80 year old lady from Sarnal Anantnag who was admitted on July 19 with bilateral pneumonia, hypertension died at GMC on Friday.

    Officials from GMC Jammu told KNO that a 58-year-old IRP Sub Inspector from Gandhi Nagar who was admitted on July 22 and tested positive for the virus, breathed his last at GMC on Friday.

    He further added that a 44-year-old shopkeeper from who was shitted from CD hospital to isolation ward of GMC Jammu on 23 July with fever, cough, haemoptysis and respiratory distress died on Friday at around 6:30 pm.

    An official at SKIMS Bemina (JVC) said that a 75-year-old lady from Peerbagh Srinagar who was admitted on July 14 after testing positive for COVID-19 died on Friday.

    An official from CD hospital said that a 70-year old man from Rainawari who was tested positive for COVID-19, died hours after he was admitted at CD hospital on Friday.

    With twelve more deaths, the death toll due to COVID-19 has reached to 300 in J&K including 278 from Kashmir division and 22 from Jammu division—(KNO)

  • Muslim, Rohingya refugees convert to Christianity to take benefit of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act

    Delhi: The Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) has prompted many Afghan and Rohingya Muslim refugees to convert to Christianity so as to become eligible for Indian citizenship, central agencies have alerted the government, according to people with knowledge of the matter. Nearly 25 such cases of Afghan Muslims converting to Christianity have been flagged by the agencies as part of an ongoing assessment, they said.

    The legislation, which was passed by Parliament last year and came into existence on January 10 this year, allows non-Muslim migrants from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan to apply for Indian citizenship. The Union home ministry has yet to notify the rules for CAA 2019.

    Adib Ahmed Maxwell, who heads an Afghan church in south Delhi, told ET: “Post CAA, there has been a spurt in the number of Afghan Muslims wanting to convert to Christianity.”

    Maxwell, 34, came to India at the age of 21. His parents follow Sunni Islam and live near Kabul in Afghanistan. “Most Afghans apply for asylum under the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR),” he said.

    According to official data, there are 150,000-160,000 Afghan Muslims living in Delhi, mainly East of Kailash, Lajpat Nagar, Ashok Nagar and Ashram. The community recently helped Indian agencies locate Afghan Sikh Nidan Singh Sachdeva, who was kidnapped by Taliban militants from Paktika province in eastern Afghanistan. Singh had gone to perform community service at a gurudwara in Afghanistan.

    Besides, official estimates suggest there are nearly 40,000 Rohingya Muslims across India, with the highest number in Jammu and Kashmir. A large number of these migrants have been residing in India prior to 2012 and are now claiming to be from Bangladesh while taking up Christianity.

    With inputs from The Economic Times