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PTI

Jammu: Pakistani troops opened fire and lobbed mortar shells at forward areas along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri and Poonch districts on Monday in violation of a ceasefire agreement, officials said.

“At about 0330 hours today, Pak army initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation by firing of small arms and intense shelling with mortars along LoC in Krishnagati Sector in Poonch district,” a defense spokesman said.

The Indian Army is retaliating befittingly, he said. Exchange of fire was going on when last reports came in from the area, the spokesman said.

“Again at about 0530 hours Pak army initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation in Nowshera sector, district Rajouri,” he said.

Pakistan has been violating the ceasefire agreement three to four times a day in the past fortnight, officials said.

Pakistan has violated the ceasefire over 800 times this year.

PTI

Bhaderwah/Jammu: A Dhok Defence Committee (DDC) member was injured in firing in a remote village in Jammu and Kashmir’s Doda district, a police official said on Monday.

Gopal Nath (35), a resident of village Duggi-Dandi, suffered injury in the right leg when unidentified gunmen opened fire at a dhok (mudhouse) in Jhompari Dal, 16 km from Bhaderwah town, around 11.30 pm on Sunday, Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Aadil Rishu said.

The injured was taken to the Government Medical College (GMC) Hospital in Jammu.

He said Nath and another DDC member, Firoz Din, were present inside the dhok (mudhouse) with their sheep when they reportedly came under fire.

Police have recovered a 12-bore gun from the area, Rishu said.

The officer said the preliminary investigation did not point towards involvement of terrorists.

Further investigation into the firing incident is on.

PTI

Srinagar: An encounter broke out between security forces and militants in Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir on Monday, police said.

Security forces launched a cordon and search operation in Kapran forest area of Anantnag in South Kashmir this morning after receiving specific information about the presence of militants in the area, a police official said.

He said the search operation turned into an encounter after militants fired upon the search party of the forces, who retaliated.

The exchange of fire is going on and further details are awaited.

Washington: US President Donald Trump has once again blamed China for the global spread of the deadly coronavirus which has killed over 450,000 people and infected more than 8.5 million others, terming the disease as “Kung flu”.

Trump has repeatedly blamed China for the coronavirus pandemic which originated in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in December last year and accused Beijing of suppressing the details of the contagion.

The Trump administration officials have described it as Wuhan virus due to its origin.

Trump, addressing his first election rally on Saturday in Tulsa, Oklahoma, after the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic in the US early this year, said that the Covid-19 is a disease and has many names than any disease in history.

“I can name – Kung flu. I can name 19 different versions of names. Many calls it a virus, which it is. Many calls it a flu. What difference. I think we have 19 or 20 versions of the name,” Trump said.

Kung fu refers to the Chinese martial arts in which people use only their bare hands and feet to fight.

According to Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center, the contagion has infected over 8.5 million people and killed more than 450,000 across the world.

The US is the worst affected country with over 2.2 million cases and more than 1,19,000 deaths.

The Covid-19, which originated in China’s Wuhan city in December last year, has also battered the world economy with the International Monetary Fund saying that the global economy is bound to suffer a “severe recession”.

Scientists are racing against time to find a vaccine or medicine for its treatment.

Trump, 74, is seeking re-election in the November presidential elections against former vice president Joe Biden, 77, who is the Democratic Party’s candidate.

Srinagar: 41 travelers were among 122 new cases of covid-19 reported in J&K, taking the number of the cases to 5956—1366 in Jammu and 4590 in Kashmir Valley.

The cases include two paramilitary forces personnel and an army soldier, two minor girls—aged 2 and 5 years—besides three pregnant women and a health worker.

Among the fresh cases, 32 were reported from Srinagar followed by Baramulla (17), 15 each in Anantnag and Budgam, Bandipora (10), Rajouri (8), Kulgam (6), five each in Kupwara and Kathua, Udhampur (3), Poonch (2) while one each has been reported in Pulwama, Ganderbal, Ramban and Kishtwar. (GNS)

Mobile Internet has been snapped as a precautionary measure in Srinagar and the frisking of vehicles have been stepped up.

Three local militants were killed in a fierce gunfight in J&K’s summer capital Srinagar in a congested locality of Zadibal on Sunday.

“All the three terrorists killed were locals. They were involved in the killing of two BSF personnel on May 20 (on the outskirts of Srinagar) this year,” Inspector General of Police, Kashmir, Vijay Kumar said.

The militants have not been identified by the police so far.

These militants were trapped during a mid-night search operation in Pazwalpora-Gilli Kadal of Zadibal, following a specific tip-off.

IGP Kumar said the parents of the trapped militants as well as locals were roped in to appeal to the hiding militants to surrender for around two hours. “However, they refused to surrender,” IGP Kumar said.

Mobile Internet has been snapped as a precautionary measure in Srinagar and the frisking of vehicles have been stepped up.

It’s second such encounter in Srinagar since May, in which top Hizbul Mujahideen ‘commander’ Junaid Sahrai was among three militants killed.

Around 106 militants, including the entire top leadership, have been killed so far this year in Kashmir, with most of them as locals, according to official figures.

With inputs from The Hindu

This was conveyed during a review meeting chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh with the Chief of Defence Staff and the three Service Chiefs.

The armed forces have been given a free hand to assess the situation on the ground along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and take appropriate action as required, a defence source on Sunday. This was conveyed during a review meeting chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh with the Chief of Defence Staff and the three Service Chiefs.

“The situation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and preparedness of the forces was reviewed at the meeting. Forces have a free hand to assess the situation and to take action required. While we don’t want escalation but if it happens by the other side, appropriate action will be taken. Clear cut instructions to this effect were given,” a defence source said. Mr. Singh held the review meeting ahead of his departure to Russia on Monday for participation in the 75th anniversary of World War-II.

These instructions come in the backdrop of the violent clash in Galwan on Monday when Indian troops were attacked by Chinese troops with rods and stones and resulted in the death of 20 Indian soldiers including the Commanding Officer Col B. Santosh Babu.

The prevailing border situation is also expected to come up for discussion in Mr. Singh’s meeting with his Russian counterpart in Moscow. Mr. Singh will return from Russia on 25th. He will continue to monitor the situation during the trip, the source added.

As reported earlier, following the Galwan incident the Army too has revised its Rules of Engagement (RoE) for its commanders on the ground on the LAC. Use of firearms on the LAC is strictly regulated as per the border agreements of 1993, 1996 and 2005.

With inputs from The Hindu

Srinagar: As confirmed cases of COVID-19 continue to rise in Jammu and Kashmir, the doctors here are recommending the people to wear a mask when they go out in public.
They also said that homemade masks won’t cure someone who is sick, but they can help prevent the spread of the disease by those with the virus.

“We advise people to wear masks in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain. We also recommend that everyone continue social distancing and other preventive measures in addition to wearing face coverings,” one of the chest specialists told news agency Kashmir Indepth News Service (KINS).

The doctor who insisted not to be named maintained that it can slow the spread of the virus and help people who may have the virus and do not know it from transmitting it to others.
However the doctor made it clear that facemask for common people doesn’t mean a surgical mask or N-95 respirators.

“Those are critical supplies that must continue to be reserved for healthcare workers and other medical first responders,” he said.

Another respiratory specialist here in the SKIMS Sorua said, “It is okay that symptomatic patients of Covid-19 should wear masks so that they don’t spread the infection but what about asymptomatic carriers as we do not test randomly and aggressively. It is better for people to wear homemade triple layered cotton masks. That would do the trick,” the doctor said, wished not to be named.

Another doctor said, “It is becoming increasingly clear that all people should be wearing masks while out in public. Masks are a likely reason why the virus has been better controlled in, South Korea, Japan, and other countries,”

“Masks should be worn anytime you are in public or people are nearby. Masks act as a physical barrier to protect you and others from viral and bacterial particulates. Many people unknowingly infect others by going out and spreading germs by coughing or touching others,” the doctor maintained.

“You can go out in public areas without a mask if there is no one nearby. Otherwise, regardless if it’s close quarters or spaced out, you should wear a mask with others around. This is precaution and courtesy to yourself and those nearby you.” said one of the doctors here in the SMHS hospital.
Another Chest Disease Specialist here in JLNM hospital said that recent studies have shown that a significant portion of individuals with coronavirus lack symptoms (“asymptomatic”) and that even those who eventually develop symptoms (“pre-symptomatic”) can transmit the virus to others before showing symptoms.”

“This means that the virus can spread between people interacting in close proximity — for example, speaking, coughing, or sneezing — even if those people are not exhibiting symptoms. So we recommend wearing masks in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult,” the doctor said wished not to be named.(KINS)