Health

Govt committed to offer 200 units free electricity: CM Omar Abdullah

JAMMU: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday said that Jammu and Kashmir aims to achieve self-sufficiency in power generation in next two years, ensuring a reliable electricity supply, and that the government was committed to offering 200 units of free electricity. He said Jammu and Kashmir Power Development Corporation was prioritizing the development of hydroelectric…

Govt committed to offer 200 units free electricity: CM Omar Abdullah
Health Jammu and Kashmir National
Grenade attack on police station in north Kashmir’s Baramulla, no casualties: Officials
header Health Jammu and Kashmir National

Grenade attack on police station in north Kashmir’s Baramulla, no casualties: Officials

BARAMULLA: A suspected grenade attack took place at a police station in north Kashmir's Baramulla district late last night, police said today. "During the night intervening March 4-5, at approximately 2120 hrs, a blast-like sound was heard from the backside of Police Post Old Town, Baramulla, causing concern among the general public. No casualty or…

Fire Breaks Out At MLA Hostel In Srinagar

SRINAGAR, Dec 10: A fire broke out in the Member Legislative Assembly Hostel (MLA) in Srinagar on Tuesday, officials said. There was no report of any casualty in the incident. The Fire and Emergency officials said that fire broke out at around noon in the first floor of the MLA hostel quarter situated at the…

Fire Breaks Out At MLA Hostel In Srinagar
Health Jammu and Kashmir National
10 infants dead after massive fire erupts at Jhansi Medical College
Health National

10 infants dead after massive fire erupts at Jhansi Medical College

JHANSI: At least 10 infants were killed after a massive fire broke out at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of Jhansi Medical College in Uttar Pradesh late Friday evening, officials said. According to hospital officials, there were 54 infants admitted to the NICU ward and several infants trapped have been rescued. The dousing, as…

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Heartbreaking To See Officers, Jawans Lose Lives In Line Of Duty: Mehbooba
header Jammu and Kashmir National Political

Heartbreaking To See Officers, Jawans Lose Lives In Line Of Duty: Mehbooba

SRINAGAR, Nov 23: Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti, the former chief ministers of Jammu and Kashmir, expressed their sorrow on Thursday over the deaths of four soldiers during a shootout with terrorists in the Rajouri region. "Dreadful news from Rajouri: two officers and four army soldiers died while performing their duties. Vice President of the National Conference Abdullah wrote on X late on Wednesday, "I send my sincere condolences to the families of those who offered the ultimate sacrifice today, while condemning the continuing efforts to spread militancy into hitherto peaceful areas of Pir Panchal region."Mehbooba expressed her sadness over the deaths of police officers and military personnel while performing their duties. "GoI's deceptive false claims that everything is well in J&K are heartbreaking when one considers the officers and jawans who lose their lives while performing their duties. They, along with innocent bystanders who have been rendered collateral damage in the ongoing violence, are bearing the cost of this facade. In a post on X, the PDP president expressed his sincere condolences to their families and loved ones. In the conflict that began on Wednesday, a terrorist has also been slain. [caption id="attachment_6035" align="alignnone" width="300"] Heartbreaking To See Officers, Jawans Lose Lives In Line Of Duty: Mehbooba[/caption]

Congress, PDP Protest Against Power Crisis In Kashmir
Breaking News header Jammu and Kashmir National Political

Congress, PDP Protest Against Power Crisis In Kashmir

Srinagar, Nov 23: Leaders and members of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) protested against the electricity crisis in Kashmir on Thursday outside the party office, according to officials. Leading the PDP workers were Asiea Naqash, Abdul Qayoom Bhat, and Arif Laigroo. They attempted to protest the valley's lack of electricity at the start of the long winter season by marching from the PDP office near Sher-e-Kashmir Park here to Lal Chowk. Still, a posse of police officers stopped the demonstrators from marching past the nearby General Post Office (GPO) with signs and posters calling for an end to power outages. "Today's protest by PDP leaders and workers from Srinagar awoke the administration from a deep sleep." The escalating power crisis has brought darkness to Kashmir, according to PDP spokesman Mohit Bhan. "The J-K administration's incompetence is evident, and the residents are going through unending hardships. The people in charge don't seem to be aware that basic needs have been compromised, Bhan continued. Police stopped Pradesh Congress Committee employees from leaving their party office when they attempted to stage a protest against the power outage at Maulana Azad Road here. One of the demonstrators remarked, "Even hospitals lack electricity while they (officials) are spending money on driving around the town." [caption id="attachment_6026" align="alignnone" width="300"] Congress, PDP Protest Against Power Crisis In Kashmir[/caption]  

BJP will form next Govt in Rajasthan: Shah
header National Political

BJP will form next Govt in Rajasthan: Shah

RAJASTHAN: On Thursday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah declared that the BJP would form the state's next government and that the Congress would lose in every area of Rajasthan. He claimed that the state's Congress government was engaging in appeasement politics and that this was deeply concerning to the populace. The senior BJP leader stated, "Appeasement politics is at its peak in the Gehlot government," during a press conference held here. Vote bank politics prevented the Rajasthani government from taking any action against the rioters. He questioned, "Ashok Gehlot does not have any guarantee of his own, what guarantee is he giving?" in response to the Rajasthan chief minister's seven promises. Shah cited the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya and the repeal of Article 370 as examples of how the BJP has a history of carrying out the most stringent resolutions. In response to the question of whether the chief minister of Rajasthan will be chosen by the MLAs, he stated that the MLAs would make that determination. Regarding Rahul Gandhi's 'panauti' jab at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Shah stated that derogatory language has been directed at the PM and that the electorate will react to it in the coming election. [caption id="attachment_6023" align="alignnone" width="300"] BJP will form next govt in Rajasthan: Shah[/caption]  

LeT sniper trained on Pak-Afghan front killed in Rajouri: Army
Breaking News header International Jammu and Kashmir National

LeT sniper trained on Pak-Afghan front killed in Rajouri: Army

RAJOURI: The Army said on Thursday that four soldiers, including two captains, had died in an ongoing battle in the Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir, including a trained sniper from the terrorist group Lashkar-e-Toiba, which is thought to be the mastermind of the Dhangri attacks. According to accounts, Quari, who was slain during the gunfight, "is a Pak National & harcore terrorist." "He received training on the Afghan and Pakistani fronts. He is a senior Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist leader, the source claimed. "He and his group have been involved in Rajouri-Poonch for the past year. He is also thought to be the mastermind behind the attacks on Dangri and Kandi. According to the spokesperson, Quari was dispatched to resurrect terrorism in the area."He is [an] Expert in IEDs, operating & hiding from Caves & a trained Sniper," he stated. According to sources, heavy gunfire broke out on Thursday as the conflict between security forces and terrorists in the dense forests of Baaji Maal, in the Kalakote area of the Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir, entered its second day. After security forces began a search operation in response to information regarding the presence of terrorists, an encounter occurred in the forests of Baaji Maal. According to officials, one soldier was injured and four army personnel—including two captains—lost their lives in the encounter. According to an official, the gunfight today resulted in additional injuries to security personnel. He stated that it was not immediately possible to ascertain the precise count of injured personnel. When the last reports came in, the area was experiencing intense gunfire. [caption id="attachment_6018" align="alignnone" width="298"] LeT sniper trained on Pak-Afghan front killed in Rajouri: Army[/caption]  

J&K’s unemployment rate dips to 4% from 5.2% in 2021-22: Officials
Breaking News header Jammu and Kashmir National

J&K’s unemployment rate dips to 4% from 5.2% in 2021-22: Officials

JAMMU: According to a senior official, the unemployment rate in Jammu and Kashmir has dropped from 5.2% in the fiscal year 2021–2022 to about 4% currently. This was said by Director of Employment Nisar Ahmad during a meeting held here to provide an overview of the state of employment in Jammu and Kashmir. "In the recent survey of the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI), the unemployment rate in the Union territory has taken a dip and reduced to around 4 per cent from earlier 5.2 per cent (2021-22)" , Ahmad stated here. According to him, the employment department will support anyone putting employment creation plans into action in order to lower the unemployment rate to just 3%, which is comparable to the country as a whole. Speaking at the event, Secretary of Labour and Employment Rehana Batul urged all interested parties to work towards lowering the unemployment rate in the UT further. She stated that over a dozen departments are tasked with creating jobs and that they plan to launch numerous more initiatives in this endeavour. Batul argued that in order to replicate each other's best practises in the execution of their plans, all departments ought to learn from them."Our sole motive should be to contribute towards providing ample opportunities to the aspiring youths," she stated. She requested that they be prepared to meet with the financial institutions in order to resolve any issues pertaining to smoothly hitting targets. [caption id="attachment_6015" align="alignnone" width="300"] J&K's unemployment rate dips to 4% from 5.2% in 2021-22: Officials[/caption]  

Policeman killed, 2 others injured after Nihangs open fire in Punjab
Breaking News header National

Policeman killed, 2 others injured after Nihangs open fire in Punjab

PUNJAB: An armed group of 'Nihangs' in Punjab's Kapurthala district shot and killed a police constable, injuring two more, according to officials on Thursday. According to a senior police official who spoke with me over the phone, the incident happened when the police went to arrest some Nihangs (Sikhs armed with traditional weapons) in Sultanpur Lodhi in connection with a case that had been filed against them. Tejbir Singh Hundal, the superintendent of police for Kapurthala's headquarters, said that the police officers were fired upon by the Nihangs while they were standing on the road. According to the official, two other staff members were hurt while one constable died. According to them, a large number of police officers have been stationed nearby and senior officials have hurried to the scene. [caption id="attachment_6012" align="alignnone" width="300"] Policeman killed, 2 others injured after Nihangs open fire in Punjab[/caption]      

India win 9medals to top Asian Para Archery Championships
Breaking News header International Jammu and Kashmir National Sports

India win 9medals to top Asian Para Archery Championships

BANGKOK: India won nine medals total—four gold, four silver, and one bronze—and won the Asian Para Archery Championships thanks to outstanding performances from Rakesh Kumar and Sheetal Devi. India finished the competition with four gold, four silver, and one bronze medal, while South Korea took second place with five medals (3-1-1). The 38-year-old Rakesh, the silver medallist from the Hangzhou Para Asian Games, overcame a two-point deficit at the halfway point to defeat Indonesia's Ken Swagumilang 145-144 to win the men's compound open title.Earlier, Rakesh and Suraj Singh defeated Chung-Hung Wu and Chih-Chiang Chng of Chinese Taipei 147-144 to win the men's compound open team gold. Then, he and Sheetal Devi defeated Teodora Audi Ayudia Ferelly and Ken Swagumilang of Indonesia, 154-149, to win the mixed team gold. In the women's compound open team event, India won a fourth gold medal thanks to a lopsided final score of 148-137 between Sheetal and Jyoti, who defeated Jin Young Jeong and Na Mi Choi of Korea. India came back with four silver medals as well. India was defeated 4-5 in the tiebreaker by Indonesia in the women's recurve open team final. The men's recurve doubles team of Vivek Chikara and Harvinder then lost to South Korea 2–6, taking home silver.Adil and Naveen's men's recurve W1 doubles team took home a third silver medal, but they were defeated 122-137 by South Korea. Moreover, Sheetal Devi was forced to accept a silver medal after Singapore's Nur Syahidah Alim defeated her in the penalty shoot. After the five regulation ends, both were tied at 142-142. The shoot-off also resulted in a 10-all tie, with Nur being declared the winner because her arrow was closer to the centre. Sarita had already defeated teammate Jyoti to win a bronze in the women's individual compound category.   [caption id="attachment_6007" align="alignnone" width="300"] India win 9medals to top Asian Para Archery Championships[/caption]

Rescue work enters final stretch at Silkyara tunnel, hopes high : Day 11
Breaking News header National

Rescue work enters final stretch at Silkyara tunnel, hopes high : Day 11

UTTARKASHI: A special ward at a nearby health centre was kept open and ambulances were on standby as a multi-agency attempt to free 41 men who were stuck in the Silkyara tunnel looked to be almost successful on Wednesday night. Up to 44 metres of an escape pipe had been inserted into the wreckage of the collapsed tunnel segment in Uttarakhand's Uttarkashi district as of 6 p.m., according to a Delhi-based official update. Earlier, authorities stated that in order to get to the workers who were stranded after a section of the tunnel under construction collapsed ten days ago, the US-made auger machine had to cut through a 57-meter stretch of debris. At this point, there were only 13 metres of debris left to drill through.When the auger machine hit a hard obstruction at about the 22-meter mark, the tunnel vibrated to the point where safety concerns were raised, forcing the suspension of drilling from the Silkyara end on Friday afternoon. Tuesday at midnight saw the start of the drilling again. Six-meter sections of steel pipes, each less than a metre in width, are forced into the escape route as the machine drills through. It is anticipated that the confined labourers will crawl out once the pipeway reaches the opposite end. In the evening, a team from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) was seen entering the tunnel. In advance of the evacuation, a group of fifteen physicians, including specialists in chest care, have been stationed at the location.A fleet of forty ambulances was to be kept on standby, with twelve already on standby at the scene. It was also anticipated that a helicopter would be reserved for the mission. The Chinyalisaur community health centre prepared a special ward to house all of the evacuated workers. According to officials, AIIMS, Rishikesh and all of the district's hospitals are on alert. Optimism was expressed by workers' relatives who communicated with them via a newly installed six-inch pipeline that was pushed through the debris late on Monday. "We were shown into the tunnel today, and we had a conversation with our relative. Sonu reassured me time and again that we would meet soon, so I shouldn't worry," said Devashish, whose brother-in-law is one of the 41 employees. We were informed by his coworkers that his cell phone was broken. We found out later that he was stuck in the tunnel when we saw his name in the newspaper," he remarked. Bhaskar Khulbe, a former advisor to the Prime Minister's Office, was optimistic during a press briefing in Silkyara at around 4 p.m., stating that another six-meter section of the rescue pipe had been inserted over the previous hour. "Hopefully the next two-three hours will be comfortable in terms of assembling for the next push and attaining what all of us are waiting for," he stated. The "most crucial" portion of the stretch was between 40 and 50 metres, according to officials' earlier statements.When Khulbe was asked to provide a schedule for the workers' evacuation, he responded, "We hope to celebrate Bagwal with them," which may have referred to Igas, a festival observed in the Garhwal region following Diwali. Igas will be celebrated on Thursday this year. In the event that the horizontal drilling from the Silkyara end fails, a number of backup plans are also underway. From the Barkot end of the tunnel, officials said, about nine metres of horizontal drilling had been completed. This is a much longer process that could take several days. On Wednesday morning, Prime Minister Narendra Modi checked in with Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami to get an update on the rescue effort. With the aid of an endoscopic camera inserted through the recently installed six-inch pipeline, the first images of the stranded workers were obtained early on Tuesday. The government said in a statement that the second lifeline was operating effectively and that there would be a sufficient supply of food items such as rotis, sabzi, khichdi, daliya, oranges, and bananas in the tunnel. [caption id="attachment_6004" align="alignnone" width="300"] Rescue work enters final…