SRINAGAR: In a first, the Jammu and Kashmir Roller Sports Association under the patronage of Roller-Skating Federation of India is hosting a four-day Inline and Roller Hockey federation Cup Championship here at Maulana Azad Stadium and Peerkho Skating Rinks.

As per the official communiqué, as many as 350 skaters from a total eight teams will be contesting for the title in the championship scheduled to be held from August 24 to 27.

An official said that this is for the first time Jammu and Kashmir is hosting the prestigious Federation Cup.
“The competitions are to be organised in both men and women categories,” adding that all arrangements are in place for smooth conduct of the championship with logistic support provided by the Jammu and Kashmir Sports Council.

As per the organisers, the participating teams are host Jammu and Kashmir, Haryana, Chandigarh, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. (UNI )

SRINAGAR: Stating that the ground is being prepared to end the uniqueness of Jammu and Kashmir, senior CPI(M) leader, Muhammad Yousuf Tarigami Tuesday appealed to the top court of India to restore what has been snatched from the people of Jammu and Kashmir in 2019.

“Don’t do us any favor and we don’t seek any favor but return us which is ours and don’t give us anything that is not ours,” Tarigami said with reference to hearings presently going on in the Supreme Court of India vis-à-vis Article 370 and 35A.

While addressing a press conference in Srinagar, Tarigami congratulated all the lawyers who represented the case of petitioners challenging the ‘unconstitutional’ assault on the special status of Jammu and Kashmir in the Supreme Court of India.

"Our lawyers deserve commendation for the way they presented the case in the top court. We have high expectations from the top court and hope everything will be given back to us that has been snatched illegally and unconstitutionally.

He said the unconstitutional assault on the special status of Jammu and Kashmir in August 2019 was unprecedented and if the special status is not restored, it will badly hit our future generation and posterity. “Article 370 and 35A had secured our job and land rights. Amendments were made through the ‘Reorganization Act’ which is a fraud on the constitution to deprive the local population of jobs and other resources.

“It were people of Jammu and Kashmir, especially Dogras and Pandits that had fought and persuaded Maharaja Hari Singh to outsiders from purchasing land in Jammu and Kashmir. Now the ground is being prepared to put our land on sale and change the demography of Jammu and Kashmir,” Tarigam said.

Tarigami hoped that that the Supreme Court of India will restore Article 370 that has been taken away from the people using illegal and unconstitutional means. (KNT)

SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Monday said the administration is transforming Panchayats into the centers of economic activities and prosperity.

Addressing the inaugural session of the three-day National Workshop on ‘Panchayat with Good Governance’ here, the Lieutenant Governor said administration is making endeavours to transform Panchayats into the centers of economic activities and prosperity.

Union Minister for Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Giriraj Singh, joined the conference virtually.

He said the deliberations on exemplary strategies, convergent actions and best practices aligned with Localisation of Sustainable Development Goals over the three days will make the governance at Panchayat level more effective and efficient.

Sinha said “Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji has given us a vision of ‘Gram Uday se Bharat Uday’ and it should be our sincere efforts to realise the limitless potential and possibilities of rural areas, to change the destiny of the country,” the Lt Governor said.

“Sustainable Development Goals can be achieved through transforming the villages and making them Aatma-Nirbhar. It is our firm resolve to make the PRIs empowered, stronger and ensure their increased participation in development initiatives,” Sinha said.

The development projects are being taken as per the needs of the people and completed at a faster pace, he added.

Sinha also appealed to the people and all the stakeholder departments to work together on Panchayat Level indicators for good governance.

He said the government is ensuring necessary resources as well as giving Panchayats the responsibility of implementation to strengthen the solid foundation of inclusive development.

The Lt Governor reiterated the commitment of the Jammu and Kashmir Administration towards the welfare of the last man in the queue and improving the standard of living of rural population.

We are working together to take necessary steps for effective and seamless public service delivery as well as benefits of government schemes and programmes to fulfill the aspirations of all the villages, he said.

Union Minister of State for Panchayati Raj, Kapil Moreshwar Patil, in his address stressed on the collective efforts of all stakeholders towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

The occasion also marked the release of Operating Guidelines of National Capability Building Framework for PRIs, and Service level Benchmarks and Model Contracts for Gram Panchayats for Water Supply and Sanitation.

“Meri Panchayat App”- an integrated and unified m-governance platform was also launched on the occasion. (UNI)

SRINAGAR: Anti-corruption Bureau on Monday said to have arrested an FCI Godown Owner alongside a Weigher for 'accepting bribe in lieu of unloading of a truck'. 

"A complainant approached the Anti Corruption Bureau with a written complaint against the office bearers of FCI Godown Chandpora Budgam, alleging demand of bribes from the complainant for unloading his truck. The truck is associated with transportation of food-grain for FCI and had arrived at FCI Godown, Chandpora with a load of rice on 12-08-2023. Since then the truck had not been unloaded and the office bearers had finally told the complainant to approach Godown owner and Tajamul Hassan Shah, Weigher", said a Bureau spokesperson in a statement issued to GNS.

The complainant, the statement, accordingly approached the Godown Owner, who told him to deposit an amount of ₹1500 into his bank account. Further, the Weigher told him to pay a bribe of ₹3500 before his truck could be unloaded. The complainant however, chose not to pay a bribe and approached ACB Srinagar for taking legal action against the accused as provided under law.

"On receipt of the complaint, a Case FIR No. 16/2023 U/S 7, 7A of PC Act 1988 was registered with PS ACB Srinagar and investigation taken up", reads the statement. 

"During the course of investigation, a trap team was constituted by this Bureau. The team laid a successful trap and caught the accused Weigher red-handed while demanding and accepting a bribe amount of ₹3500 from the complainant. The money was recovered from the accused on the spot. Moreover, before receiving a receipt of transported food-grain, the driver was asked by the Godown Owner to deposit an amount of ₹1500 into his bank account."

"The accused Godown Owner has been identified as Ab Majeed Sheikh S/o Ghulam Ahmad Sheikh R/o Firdousabad, Batamaloo Srinagar, Proprietor Sheikh Suppliers and Contractors while as weigher has been identified Tajamul Hassan Shah S/O Ghulam Hassan Shah R/O Dharmuna Budgam", reads the statement. 

"On the spot, there were several other drivers available, who transport food-grain for FCI. They were examined and it came to the surface that all the drivers were forced to pay bribes before their trucks were unloaded. The drivers on the spot complained that they are extorted money at all the Godowns of FCI especially Lethpora, and otherwise their trucks are not unloaded timely and are made to wait long.  Almost all the drivers available on the spot have paid some amount to the Godown owner and weigher by one or the other way".

"Some of the drivers showed mPay screen shots depicting transfer of ₹3000 each into the bank account of accused Abdul Majeed."

"It is pertinent to note that the Godown owner Ab Majeed Sheikh, is accused in ₹30 crore fraud of J&K Bank. In connection with bank fraud ACB has charge-sheeted the accused in ACB case FIR No. 06/2019 of PS ACB Anantnag", reads the statement. 

"Further investigation into the case is going on. Role of the other involved persons associated with FCI Godown Chandpora is being investigated. More arrests are expected to follow in the instant case", concludes the statement. (GNS)

SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir's Police's Special Investigation Unit on Saturday conducted raid in Awantipora sub district in a terror related case, police said.

The SIU Awantipora conducted raid in Wopalwan village in connection with case registered by Government Railway Police Awantipora this year. The case was later taken by SIU for investigation.

Police said the raid was conducted by the SIU in the residential house of accused Sheikh Sayurl Nisar resident of Wopalwan Awantipora and proper standard operation procedures (SOPs) were followed.

"During the search, relevant information was gathered besides, Bank pass books, Islamic books of Jahad & other incriminating materials were recovered by the SIU Awantipora," police said.

The searches were conducted to collect more evidences of his involvement in other terror crimes,they added.

The raid was conducted as part of continuing crackdown on terror elements in Kashmir. (UNI)

SRINAGAR: A woman from Quilmpora area of North Kashmir Bandipora district has allegedly committed suicide at her rented room. 

An official told the news agency Kashmir Scroll that a 25 year old life has taken her life by hanging herself at their rented accommodation in Quilmuqam during the intervening night.

He said that police party reached to the spot and body has been taken to SDH Bandipora for medical formalities. Meanwhile, police have taken cognizance of the incident and initiated further investigation.(KS)

SRINAGAR: First lot of smart buses will start operating from this month end, Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Vijay Kumar Bidhuri, said on Saturday. Talking to media, Div Com Kashmir as per news agency Kashmir Scroll said 100 buses, under the Smart City Project, will ply in Srinagar.

"The trial bus is already plying and 30 buses will hit roads every month", he said. "The services' will greatly benefit the people during late evening hours", he added.(KS)

SRINAGAR: A yatri lost his life after falling off track in Baltal Ganderbal district on Friday.

An official told the news agency Kashmir Scroll that one Yatri namely Sh. Vijay Kumar Shah R/o village Tumba, District Rohtas Bihar, age 50 years who has been accompanied by one namely as Mamta Kumari while coming back from Holy Cave has fell down from the track near Kali Mata Track died on spot.

The dead body has been recovered and is being transported further towards Baltal Base camp Hospital. Further proceedings have been taken up. (KS)

SRINAGAR: Directing for timely billing of all smart metered consumers and setting up of helpline numbers to address complaints, Jammu Power Development Corporation Limited (JPDCL) Managing Director Shiv Anant Tayal instructed the project implementation agency to replace all the damaged smart meters in one week.

Charing a meeting regarding installation of smart meters in Jammu and the issues faced by people, Tayal directed the engineers and project implementation agency to mitigate the problems of the people regarding smart meters and told them to address all issues regarding smart meters on priority basis.

He asked the engineers to depute linemen and meter reading staff along with a smart meter installation team to educate people about the benefits of smart meters and ensure that installation work is carried out smoothly without any flaws and issues.

The meeting was attended by Chief Engineer Distribution Sandeep Seth, Superintending Engineer Jammu Rajinder Gupta among other senior officers of JPDCL and representatives of project implementation agency RECPDCL.
The senior officials of JPDCL apprised the Managing Director regarding delay in billing after installation of smart meters.
The MD issued on the spot instructions to the Project implementation agency and private vendors to ensure timely billing failing which action shall be initiated against the vendors.

He also directed the concerned engineers to immediately set up Helpline numbers for resolution of smart meters related complaints at Sub-divisional level.
Tayal urged the general public to use star rated gadgets and appliances at their homes to reduce the monthly consumption and save electricity.

He also urged the public to switch off the main switch while leaving their respective households since electricity is utilized by inverters and step up transformers used by various households.

The MD requested the public to support the department in installation of smart meters so that better services can be provided.

He cautioned people against fake electricity disconnection messages and said that JPDCL doesn’t send any disconnection messages so people should remain vigilant against such fraud messages. (UNI)

SRINAGAR: At least three people were killed while nine others were injured on Friday in an explosion inside a scrap dealer shop in Drass town of Kargil district of Ladakh, officials said.
They said 12 persons were injured in the blast in the shop in main market of Drass and out of them three died.

“9 injured were shifted to hospital for treatment and among which two are critical,” officials said.

Soon after the blast, senior police officers reached the spot and the shop where the blast took place was sealed. (UNI)

SRINAGAR:  Security forces on Friday recovered a huge cache of arms and ammunition including five AK rifles close to the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir's Kupwara district, Srinagar based defence spokesman said on Friday.

The recoveries were made by a joint team of Army, Border Security Force and Police during a search operation that is still underway in Machil sector of the frontier district.

Defence spokesman Lt Col M K Sahu said that based on concrete intelligence inputs by agencies on attempts by terrorists to induct war like stores into Kashmir Valley from across the LoC, a joint operation was launched from August 15 to 18 in Machil.

“During the search operations, huge cache of arms and ammunition were recovered at around 1100 hours today which include five AK Series Rifles, eight AK Magazines, seven 9mm Pistols, fifteen 9mm Pistol Magazines, four Hand Grenades, 7.62 mm AK Rounds, 7.62 mm AP Rounds and 9 mm Rounds and other incriminating material,” the spokesman said.

Lt Col M K Sahu said extensive search of the area is being carried out.

The spokesman said the recovery of such a large cache of arms and ammunition is a huge setback to the nefarious designs of terrorist organisations to disrupt peace and tranquility in Kashmir Valley.

“Security Forces in complete synergy are always combat ready and are committed to keep the Valley safe and secure,” he added.

Meanwhile, a BSF spokesman said the input about cache of arms and ammunition was generated by the Force following which a joint operation was launched in Machil.

Following the recovery of arms and ammunition, Inspector General BSF, Kashmir, Ashok Yadav said that the successful operation is the result of strong operational synergy between forces on the LoC.

“The successful operation has once again thwarted attempts by various terrorist organizations to disrupt peace and tranquility in the Kashmir valley,” he said.