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…

Business

CBI Conducting Searches Over ‘Graft’ In Contract For Rs 2,200-Crore Kiru Hydro Power Project In J&K

New Delhi, Dec 2: In relation to the purported graft brought to light by former governor of Jammu and Kashmir Satya Pal Malik in the course of awarding the contract for the Rs 2,200-crore civil work for the Kiru Hydro Power Project in Kishtwar in 2019, the CBI is reportedly conducting searches at six locations across four cities, officials said on Saturday. According to them, there have been three separate places where searches have taken place, including the homes of D P Singh and Kanwaljeet Singh Duggal of Mainstream IT Solutions Private Limited. The operation is covering three of the company's and Duggal's locations in Delhi, as well as one each in Shimla, Noida, and Chandigarh, according to the officials.The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) revealed that this is the fourth wave of searches in the case; they had previously conducted similar operations on April 21, July 6, and May 17 of this year. In August 23, 2018, Malik, who held the office of governor of Jammu and Kashmir until October 30, 2019, claimed to have received an offer of Rs 300 crore in exchange for clearing two files, one of which was related to the project. "The case was filed on charges of wrongdoing in the contract awarding Kiru Hydro Electric Power Project (HEP) civil works worth about Rs 2,200 crore to a private company in 2019," the CBI had previously stated.The agency has made reservations for former officials M S Babu, M K Mittal, Arun Kumar Mishra, and Patel Engineering Limited, as well as former chairman of Chenab Valley Power Projects (Private) Limited Navin Kumar Chaudhary. Chaudhary is an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer from the Jammu and Kashmir cadre (now the AGMUT cadre), having joined in 1994. "Even though the 47th board meeting of Chenab Valley Power Projects (P) Ltd) decided to cancel the ongoing tendering process and re-tender through e-tendering with reverse auction, the 48th board meeting decided to do the same thing, and Patel Engineering Limited was ultimately awarded the tender," the FIR claims.   [caption id="attachment_6588" align="alignnone" width="300"] CBI Conducting Searches Over ‘Graft’ In Contract For Rs 2,200-Crore Kiru Hydro Power Project In J&K[/caption]  

Army commander reviews security situation in south Kashmir

SRINAGAR : Lt Gen Rajiv Ghai, Commander of the Chinar Corps, evaluated the current security environment and oversaw the winter counter terrorism grid on Saturday. He also gave the troops props for organising and carrying out the Arihal mission. An army official on X stated, "To review the current security situation & coordinate the CT Grid during the winter season, #ChinarCorps Cdr chaired a Security Review Meet at Awantipur, #Pulwama today." He additionally "complimented the troops for their planning & execution of OP ARIHAL, #Pulwama on 30 Nov - 01 Dec where one terrorist was eliminated & war-like stores recovered." [caption id="attachment_6585" align="alignnone" width="300"] Army commander reviews security situation in south Kashmir[/caption]

J&K Crime Branch Files Charge Sheet Against 3 Brothers In Land-Fraud Case

Jammu, Dec 2: According to an official, the Crime Branch of the Jammu and Kashmir Police filed a charge sheet on Saturday against three brothers who are suspected of defrauding a man of Rs 43 lakh by convincing him to sign a contract for the sale of 2.5 kanals of their land in the Samba area. According to a spokesman for the investigative agency, the Economic Offences Wing of the Crime Branch (Jammu) filed a 253-page charge sheet against Narayan Singh, Suram Singh, and Chain Singh for cheating Manmohan Singh, a resident of Gandhi Nagar in Jammu. According to the official, the victim claimed that the accused had approached him with a proposal to sell their 51 marlas (2.5 kanals) of land in Birpur for Rs 51 lakh, using the excuse that the land was being acquired. Manmohan Singh was purportedly informed by them that he would be eligible to obtain the compensation sum at the conclusion of the purchase procedures provided he paid each of his brothers Rs 17 lakh. According to the official, the brothers had claimed that the compensation for acquiring the land would exceed the amount he would be giving them to purchase their land.The three suspects signed a special power of attorney in December 2021. According to the spokeswoman, the complainant also executed an agreement to sell that recognised receiving the "consideration amount" and his rights. He claimed that when the accused approached the collector for land acquisitions and announced in writing that they had revoked the complainant's special power of attorney, their scheme to deceive the complainant was discovered. They further insisted that the money be deposited into their account by the collector. Following the filing of a complaint, an initial investigation was started. According to the spokesman, the inquiry revealed that the claims were true, which prompted the formal complaint to be filed for a thorough examination.The official continued, "The investigators obtained pertinent documents, obtained witness statements, collected scientific, circumstantial, and other substantial evidence, and established offences under pertinent sections of the Indian Penal Code against the accused for deceiving the complainant with criminal intent and defrauding him of Rs 43 lakh." [caption id="attachment_6579" align="alignnone" width="300"] J&K Crime Branch Files Charge Sheet Against 3 Brothers In Land-Fraud Case[/caption]    

Rubbing Salt Into Wounds Of People: Omar On Nagaland State Day Celebration At J&K Raj Bhavan

Srinagar, Dec 2: Omar Abdullah, the leader of the National Conference (NC), claimed on Saturday that by commemorating the day of Nagaland Statehood, Raj Bhavan was "rubbing salt in to the wounds" of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. An official statement said that the Nagaland Statehood Day was celebrated on Friday at the Raj Bhawan in Jammu, fostering the spirit of "Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat" with zeal and excitement.But speaking of another state's statehood day celebration, Abdullah said that irony dies in Jammu and Kashmir because the region's union territory day was observed after it was demoted from a state. "In J&K, Irony meets his demise. In Jammu, we commemorate Nagaland Statehood Day at Raj Bhavan, but in J&K, we observe "Union Territory Day." Talk about adding salt to the people's wounds here, wrote Abdullah, the former J-K chief minister, in a post on X. On August 5, 2019, the Centre revoked Article 370 of the Constitution, dividing Jammu and Kashmir into two union territories: J-K and Ladakh. On October 31, the J.K. administration observed Union Territory Day. [caption id="attachment_6570" align="alignnone" width="300"] Rubbing Salt Into Wounds Of People: Omar On Nagaland State Day Celebration At J&K Raj Bhavan[/caption]  

Gulmarg, Pahalgam Resorts Rec Sub-Zero Temp

Srinagar, Dec 2: The Meteorological Department (MeT) said on Saturday that the only locations in Kashmir to register below-freezing nighttime temperatures were the hill resorts of Gulmarg and Pahalgam. Most areas of the valley saw a small increase in the nighttime temperature. Most of Kashmir saw nighttime temperatures rise above freezing, with Srinagar—J&K's summer capital—registering a minimum temperature of 4.8 °C on Friday compared to Friday's 4.5 °C. The coldest spot in Kashmir on record was the ski resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir. Pahalgam in the south reported a low of - 0.4 degrees Celsius, while Gulmarg's mercury dropped to minus 3 degrees Celsius. In Kupwara, in north Kashmir, the temperature dropped to 2.3 degrees Celsius. Kokernag recorded a low of 2.2 degrees Celsius, while Qazigund in south Kashmir recorded minus 3.4 degrees. Jammu & Kashmir is expected to have dry weather through November 9 according to the MeT. "The weather would be dry but partly cloudy from December 2–7. Additionally, it will be partially to generally cloudy from December 8–10, according to the MeT office. It further stated that starting on December 2, there might be a 3-5°C drop in the lowest temperature.In the meantime, snow accumulation on the higher portions of the Mughal Road, which links the Rajouri and Poonch districts of the Jammu division with Shopian in Kashmir, forced the closure of traffic on Saturday. On Saturday, traffic flowed normally along the major route between Jammu and Srinagar. [caption id="attachment_6552" align="alignnone" width="300"] Gulmarg, Pahalgam Resorts Rec Sub-Zero Temp[/caption]  

Cong to reach every nook and corner to expose BJP: PCC chief

JAMMU: Under the leadership of PCC chief Vikar Rasool Wani, the JKPCC executive, which included district presidents and PCC functionaries in addition to the leaders of the party's frontal wings, talked about the pressing concerns facing the people and the state of politics today. Speaking at the meeting, the president of the PCC predicted that the Congress would win the majority of the states that held elections, but that one thing is certain: in every state in India, the Congress is running against the BJP or other regional forces, proving that it is the true national party with a strong presence across all states and Union Territories. He claimed the Congress is a power in nearly all of the nation's states and union territories, while the BJP is only present in half of the states and the government in nine of the twenty-eight states. The PCC chief predicted that the Congress would win the majority of the states that went to polls and would also do well in other states, despite the ruling BJP's dirty tricks. Only the Congress, he said, can be said to be a truly national party, with a secular and inclusive agenda that aims to uphold democracy and the idea of INDIA. He stated that the Congress will win J&K Assembly elections as well, which is why the BJP has delayed the elections. However, we must canvass every corner of UT in the upcoming weeks. He said that the JKPCC executive will convene a crucial meeting in the coming ten days to devise a future plan of action. AICC Incharge J&K Affairs and other key leadership figures will be present. According to working president Raman Bhalla, the Congress will do better in the upcoming elections in Jammu & Kashmir and the outcomes of five other states. However, the BJP is staying away from Panchayat, ULB, and assembly elections out of concern that they may not win.He urged the leaders of the party to intensify their organising efforts inside their districts and Assembly seats in order to draw attention to the Modi government's shortcomings on all fronts, particularly with regard to price control and job creation for the youth unemployment rate. He issued a warning against the BJP's agenda of division. BJP's divisive agenda and its failures on all fronts, particularly in restoring state and democracy in J&K, were exposed by senior vice presidents Balwan Singh and Ravinder Sharma, vice presidents, general secretaries, DCC presidents, frontal heads, and PCC secretaries who addressed the meeting as well. The meeting outlined a plan to engage the populace at the local level, reveal the shortcomings of the administration, and draw attention to the pressing problems that the populace faces. It also strongly objected to the worsening security conditions in certain UT regions. [caption id="attachment_6541" align="alignnone" width="300"] Under the leadership of PCC chief Vikar Rasool Wani, the JKPCC executive, which included district presidents and PCC functionaries[/caption]        

ED arrests former J&K Co-operative Bank chairman in Rs 250-cr money laundering case

SRINAGAR: In relation to a Rs 250-crore money laundering case in Jammu and Kashmir, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has detained former chairman of the J&K Co-operative Bank, Muhammad Shafi Dar, according to officials on Friday. The officials stated that Dar and Mohammad Hilal A Mir, the chairman of the River Jhelum Cooperative Housing Building Society, a "fictitious firm," were taken into custody and would be brought before a special court. On Thursday, the ED claimed to have recovered incriminating evidence from searches they had performed in connection with the case, including one at Dar's home. According to the officials, the fraud was carried out under the guise of the "fictitious" River Jhelum Cooperative Housing Building Society.According to them, the ED's office in Srinagar carried out the operations using the search and seizure authority granted to it by the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The Jammu and Kashmir Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) filed a charge sheet against Mir, Dar, and other defendants in August 2020 for offences against the Prevention of Corruption Act and the Indian Penal Code. According to the ACB's investigation, Mir had applied to the secretary of cooperatives, the administration department of cooperative societies, asking for guidance from the J&K Co-operative Bank regarding financial assistance of Rs 300 crore for assuming ownership of 37.5 acres of land on the outskirts of Srinagar for the construction of a satellite township.The request was forwarded to the Jammu and Kashmir Registrar of Cooperative Societies to pursue the issue with the J&K Co-operative Bank. Accordingly, the J&K Co-operative Bank in Srinagar approved a loan in the amount of Rs 223 crore during the ACB investigation. However, no formalities were followed, such as obtaining information about the society, such as its balance sheet, profit and loss, account business, activities, PAN number, income tax returns, and board resolutions. The investigation found that the River Jhelum Cooperative House Building Society was not even registered with the cooperative societies registrar. Mir, working in collusion with Dar and other individuals, created a forged registration certificate in the name of the society and oversaw the loan's approval. Although the land had not been mortgaged to the bank, it was discovered that the loan sum had been deposited into the landowners' accounts. Furthermore, the ACB's probe was effective in locating the Rs 223 crore that had been syphoned off. Additionally, the bureau has blocked funds totaling Rs 187 crore, according to the officials. [caption id="attachment_6538" align="alignnone" width="300"] ED arrests former J&K Co-operative Bank chairman in Rs 250-cr money laundering case[/caption]    

J&K Raj Bhawan hosts Nagaland Statehood Day celebrations

JAMMU: At the Raj Bhawan, the Nagaland Statehood Day was celebrated with great fervour and excitement, upholding the principles of Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat. The artists of the Jammu Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture and Languages presented a number of enthralling cultural events that were based on the well-known dance forms of Nagaland. On Statehood Day, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha greeted everyone, but notably the people of Nagaland, while speaking to the guests. "Prime Minister Narendra Modi's development initiative for North-East has truly brought historic socio-economic transformations of Nagaland after years of neglect," remarked the Lieutenant Governor.The state, dubbed the "land of festivals" and well-known for its lively folk music, traditional dances, arts and crafts, delectable cuisines, captivating rivers, and abundant flora and wildlife, has made great strides on many fronts and seen a resurgence of its economy in the previous nine years, he continued. The Lieutenant Governor honoured Nagaland's remarkable individuals and acknowledged their important role in the development of the country. Nagaland, known as the "land of warrior tribes," is a region endowed with immense diversity and wealth. He said that the people had been motivated to rebel against the British by the Naga leader and independence fighter Rani Gaidinliu, also referred to as the daughter of the hills, who had joined the movement at the age of 13.He added that Nagaland's special advantages, tourism potential, and spirit of togetherness in diversity should all be celebrated on Statehood Day. Those who work in security, students, and Nagaland residents in J&K, UT, were the distinguished guests for the evening. [caption id="attachment_6534" align="alignnone" width="300"] J&K Raj Bhawan hosts Nagaland Statehood Day celebrations[/caption]