‘Victim has grievous face injuries’

Srinagar: Police on Tuesday arrested a youth, hours after he allegedly threw acid on a 24-year-old girl in Wantapora area here in central-Kashmir’s Srinagar district this evening.

A police official said that soon after the attack, a police party rushed to the area, which on persisting searches was able to nab the assailant. “We have taken him (assailant) into custody as to make out the motive behind the attack”, the official said.

Medical Superintendent SMHS Hospital Dr. Kanwal Jeet Singh said that the victim has grievous injuries in her face. “She has severe injuries in her face and part of her eyes has also received contusions”, he said.

“We are uncertain about her eyesight as of now as things are being looked into”, he further said.

The girl (name withheld) a resident of Eidgah came under attack at Usmani Colony Wantpora earlier this evening. (GNS)

Jammu: Director Information and Public Relations, Rahul Pandey has condoled the sad demise of senior journalist and Editor-in-Chief of Srinagar News, Mehraj-ud-Din Wani.

Chairing a condolence meeting Rahul Pandey highlighted the role of departed journalist in raising   public issues through his journalistic work and called his demise a great loss to journalist fraternity as well as society.

The Director and the employees of DIPR also offered deep condolences to the bereaved family and prayed for eternal peace to the departed soul.

Visits DRDO, GB Panth hospitals

Srinagar: As Covid-19 positivity rate of third wave continues to fluctuate, the Divisional Commissioner (Div Com) Kashmir, Pandurang K Pole on Tuesday visited DRDO Hospital Khonmuh and GB Panth Hospital to review the present situation of Covid-19 Pandemic, admission of patients, occupancy of beds and emergency plan to cater to the oxygen supply.

The Div Com was accompanied by Director Health Services Kashmir, Dr Mushtaq Ahmad Rather; Epidemiologist Kashmir, Dr Talat Jabeen; Incharge Divisional Covid Control Room Kashmir, Tahir Ahmad Magray and other medical officers.

On the occasion, Div Com was informed that 413 covid patients were admitted to DRDO Covid dedicated Hospital in January, out of which 48 were admitted to ICU. It was further informed that 340 patients recovered during the same month.

Besides, Medical Superintendent DRDO Hospital informed that in the 510 bedded hospital, there are 125 ICU beds.

Regarding the status of Oxygen supply, he informed that there are 2 PSA plants with capacity of 1000 liters per minute each besides 56 Kilo Liter Liquid Medical Oxygen Tank.

He was apprised that one Oxygen plant needs servicing while another needs functional reparation. Div Com on the Occasion directed nodal officer to resolve the issues on priority basis.

Div Com also directed to prepare exigency plan of adequate Oxygen supply to the hospital by identifying two more Oxygen plants which can be used during emergency to maintain constant supply of medical Oxygen.

Further, Div Com was apprised about the liability of bills of electric department which were generated since the functioning of Hospital.

Regarding staff strength and compliance of the roster by the staff, it was informed that there are 57 Doctors besides medical officers and paramedic staff who are delivering their services with dedication.

At GB Panth, Div Com inspected the isolation ward for neonatal children and other children. He was informed that the hospital conducted 700 screening out of which 35 were referred to DRDO and Bemina while two casualties were also reported.

Later, Div Com directed administrators of GB Panth hospital to create parking space for vehicles in the vicinity to facilitate patients and attendants.

Jammu: Lieutenant General Upendra Dwivedi on Tuesday assumed the appointment of General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the prestigious Northern Command of the Indian Army.

Lieutenant General Upendra Dwivedi was Deputy Chief of the Army Staff prior to being appointed as the Army Commander, Northern Command.

He was commissioned into the Jammu And Kashmir Rifles Regiment and in a career spanning over 37 years, served across a wide spectrum of terrain and operational profiles. He tenanted a number of important Command, Staff and Instructional appointments making immense contributions to the organisation.

Jammu based defence spokesman Lt Col Devender Anand said that Lieutenant General Upendra Dwivedi is an alumnus of Sainik School, Rewa, National Defence Academy(NDA), and Indian Military Academy(IMA).

On assuming the command of the Northern Command, the General Officer paid homage to the brave hearts of Northern Command and laid wreath at the Dhruva War Memorial.

Later, he conveyed his greetings to all ranks and expressed his commitment to take forward the excellent work done by his predecessors and all ranks of the Northern Command.

Lt Gen Dwiwedi  graduated from the prestigious Defence Service Staff College, attended Higher Command Course at Army War College and the National Defence College equivalent course at United States Army War College.

The General Officer commanded his battalion in the Kashmir Valley, Assam Rifles Sector along the Indo-Myanmar Border, Inspectorate General Assam Rifles (IGAR, East), said the spokesman.

He said that later, the General Officer commanded Rising Star Corps based at Yol and has served as staff officer in an Armoured Brigade, Directorate General of Military Operations, Military Secretary Branch and at Divisional and Corps Headquarters.

The General Officer has had instructional tenures at the Indian Military Academy(IMA) and Army War College, he said adding that the General also had two overseas tenures in Somalia and Seychelles.

He served in the Directorate General of Infantry in different capacities including Director General of Infantry and fast-tracked procurement cases of weapons leading to significant and visible capability enhancement for the Army.

Gulmarg coldest place, records at minus 9.0°C

Srinagar: Barring Srinagar and Kupwara, the minimum temperature stayed below freezing point in Kashmir Valley with the famous tourist resort of Gulmarg recording a low of 9.0°C on Tuesday, officials said here.

A meteorological department official here said that Srinagar, the summer capital of the J&K, recorded a low of 1.8°C against last night’s minus 1.6°C on the previous night.

While the ‘Chillai Kalan’, the 40-day long harshest period of winter which started from December 21 has ended, Kashmir is under the grip of the 20-day long ‘Chillai Khurd’ which would be followed by 10-day-long ‘Chilla Bachha’.

Gulmarg recorded a low of minus 9.0°C against minus 6.6°C on the previous night, he said.

The temperature is 1.4°C below normal for this time of the year in the famous resort in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district.

Qazigund, the gateway town of Kashmir, recorded a low of minus 0.3°C against minus 2.8°C on the previous night, he said.

Kokernag, also in south Kashmir, recorded a low of minus 2.6°C against minus 2.4°C on the previous night, the official said.

Pahalgam, the famous resort in south Kashmir, recorded a low of minus 6.2°C against minus 4.8°C on the last night, he said.

Kupwara town in north Kashmir recorded a low of 0.3°C against minus 0.6°C on the previous night, the official said.

Jammu recorded a low of 7.2°C against previous night’s 7.7°C. The temperature was 1.2°C below normal for the J&K’s winter capital during this time of the year, he said.

Banihal recorded a low of minus 1.6°C, Katra had a minimum of 7.0°C while Bhaderwah recorded a low of minus 1.1°C, the official said.

Ladakh’s Leh recorded a low of minus 12.4°C against last night’s minus 10.6°C while mercury at automatic station in Kargil settled at minus 13.7°C. Drass, the second coldest place in the world after Siberia, recorded a low of minus 20.2°C against last night’s minus 14.7°C, official said.

The weatherman has forecast “mainly dry weather over Jammu and Kashmir” in next 24 hours.   “Fairly widespread to widespread light to moderate rain and snow” has been forecast on Feb 3.

Overall, weather is likely to remain partly to generally cloudy (this) week. There’s no forecast of any major weather till 1st week of February.” (GNS)

Srinagar: Jammu-Srinagar highway, the only surface link connecting Kashmir valley with the outside world, shall remain open for both way traffic on Wednesday, officials said.

“On 02-02-2022, subject to fair weather and better road conditions LMVs(passenger)/private cars shall be allowed from both sides on Jammu-Srinagar highway viz Jammu towards Srinagar and vice-versa. TCU Jammu/Srinagar shall liaise with TCU Ramban before releasing the traffic,” a traffic department official said in a statement.

He said Traffic Control Unit Jammu/Srinagar shall liaise with TCU Ramban before releasing the traffic.

He said cut off for LMVs/private cars from Nagrota (Jammu) will be at 0700 hours to 1200 hours, from Jakheni (Udhampur) at 0800 hours to 1300 hours and from Navyug Tunnel (Qazigund side) 0900 hours to 1300 hours “(subject to change depending on the road position then)”

He said no vehicle shall be allowed before and after cut off timings.

Regarding HMVs/Load carriers, he said, “subject to fair weather and better road conditions, they shall be allowed from NAVYUG Tunnel (Qazigund side) towards Jammu after assessing the traffic situation on highway.” He said TCU Srinagar shall liaise with TCU Ramban before releasing the highway.

Meanwhile, Mughal Road, connecting Shopian with Poonch and Rajouri districts, remained closed for vehicular movement in view of snow accumulation at Peer Ki Gali.

Also, Srinagar-Sonamarg-Gumri road remained shut for vehicular movement in view of snow accumulation on Zoji la axis and has been closed till further orders. Kishtwar-Sinthan road also remained closed in view of snow accumulation, the traffic department official said.