Jammu: A high alert was sounded and security stepped up in the bordering belt of Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir after a mysterious grenade blast outside an Army Cantonment in Pathankot district of Punjab.

Jammu and Kashmir Police have sounded a high alert in all the areas sharing borders with neighbouring Punjab.

The low intensity blast was reported late Sunday outside the Triveni Gate of the cantonment in the strategically important border district of Punjab. Some unidentified motorcycle-borne youth lobbed the grenade in front of the military area, according to information from sources.

No casualty or any injury was reported in the blast, police said.

“Part of the grenade has also been recovered after the blast and is being investigated,” police added.

“The security has been further heightened at all entry and exit points of the district,” a senior police officer here said on Monday.

He said that all the vehicles, including private and commercial, are being thoroughly checked at all the entry points of Kathua district.

The bikers reportedly crossed the area in front of the camp late night and lobbed the grenade towards the gate, which exploded.

“The CCTV footage is being scrutinized to ascertain the facts,” said the SSP of Pathankot, Surendra Lamba.

Strategically important Pathankot is part of Army’s Yol based Rising Star Corps. Pathankot district is one of the most important bases of the Indian Army.

It also has Indian Air Force Station, the Army’s ammunition depot and two armoured brigades and armoured units.

On January 2, 2016, militant attacked Pathankot Airbase in which one Lieutenant Colonel among seven soldiers were killed. (UNI)

Jammu: The sleuths of Jammu and Kashmir Anti-Narcotics Terrorist Force (ANTF) on Monday said that two inter-state drug peddlers have been arrested for distributing banned drugs in the Union Territory.

Senior Superintendent of ANTF, Vinay Kumar here said that raids were conducted in various parts of Delhi and Ghaziabad and the teams have arrested two drug dealers.

“Both the arrested persons were wanted in various cases of ANTF and were the main distributors and suppliers of banned Pharmaceutical drugs to Jammu and Kashmir,” said the officer.

He said that they were operating from Delhi and its adjoining areas including Ghaziabad.

The SSP said that two teams of ANTF were constituted which were led by Inspector Sunil Singh Jasrotia and Inspector Ankush Chib under supervision of Deputy Superintendent of Police Arun Jamwal.

These teams conducted a series of raids in Delhi and Ghaziabad areas and with the help of Delhi and Ghaziabad Police and were able to arrest the two most wanted drug dealers.

They have been identified as Ajay Gupta alias Bunty of Govindpuram, Ghaziabad and Shirshak Sharma alias Honey of Naveen Shahdara, Delhi.

“They have been taken into custody for being wanted in several cases registered against them,” said the SSP adding that the duo used to stock and store banned Pharmaceutical drugs and later supply them to various parts including the J&K UT.

Pharmaceutical drugs like Codeine Phosphate, Spasmo Proxyvon, Tremadol are fast replacing traditional drugs like Heroin, Cocaine etc and their abuse has seen a rising trend amongst the innocent youths, he said.

With the arrest of these main suppliers and distributors, ANTF has been able to break the main supply network of these kinds of Drugs to J&K, said the top cop.

He however, appealed to the public particularly to youth to keep away from any kind of abuse of such kinds of drugs and share any kind of information regarding drug related activities so that strict legal actions are taken against such dealers. (UNI)

Srinagar: Srinagar on Monday witnessed the coldest night of the season as the mercury dipped to minus 1.6 degrees Celsius and cold condition continued unabated across the Kashmir Valley and Ladakh union territories disrupting normal life.

Srinagar temperatures dipped by 0.3 degrees from Sunday’s minus 1.3.

The weather is expected to remain cold and dry till November-end across Jammu and Kashmir. However, there is a 40 to 50 per cent chance of very light snowfall across the northern reaches in Kashmir on Thursday, The MeT said.

Overall there will be not much change in the weather in the coming two weeks, MeT said.

At Air Force station Drass, the temperature dipped to minus 12.8 degrees Celsius after recording minus 12 on Sunday.

In Leh, it was minus 10.8 against the minus 8.5 degree Celsius while in Kargil it was minus 5.8 degrees Celsus on Monday.

The tourist resort of Pahalgam in south Kashmir was the coldest place in the valley even after night temperature showed an improvement at minus 3.7 degrees against the minus 4.2 recorded on Sunday. Most small water bodies have frozen up in Pahalgam.

Qazigund on Srinagar-Jammu national highway recorded minus 2 degrees Celsius against the minus 2.2 recorded a day ago showing a slight improvement while at Kokernag it was minus 1.0 against 1.3 degrees the previous day.

Ski resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir recorded a minimum temperature of minus 0.8 degrees Celsius against the minus 1.4 degrees Celsius yesterday. Although there was an improvement in the night temperature, freezing cold conditions remained as a thick fog made life difficult for the tourists.

In frontier Kashmir district of Kupwara the minimum temperature was recorded as minus 2.9 degrees Celsius against the minus 3 degrees yesterday. (UNI)

New Delhi: Group Captain Abhinandan Varthaman was accorded the third highest wartime Gallantry award Vir Chakra by President Ram Nath Kovind during the Defence Investiture Ceremony-I at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Monday.

He was awarded for his role in shooting down the Pakistani F-16 fighter aircraft by his MiG21 Bison on February 27, 2019 in an aerial dog fight.

Vir Chakra is the country’s third highest wartime Gallantry award after Param Vir Chakra and Maha Vir Chakra.

The dogfight took place a day after the IAF’s Mirage-2000s struck targets Pakistan’s Balakot in response to the Pulwama attack in Kashmir on February 14, 2019.

President Kovind accorded the second-highest peacetime gallantry award Kirti Chakra (posthumously) to Sapper Prakash Jadhav for neutralising militants in an operation in Jammu and Kashmir. His wife and mother received the award.

Major Vibhuti Shankar Dhoundiyal also received the Shaurya Chakra (posthumously) for his role in an operation where five militants were eliminated and a huge quantity of explosive material was recovered.

His wife Lt Nitika Kaul and mother received the award at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Naib Subedar Sombir accorded the Shaurya Chakra (posthumously) for killing an A++ category militant during an operation in Jammu and Kashmir. His wife Suman Devi and mother Rajendra Devi received the award.

Captain Maheshkumar Bhure also conferred the Shaurya Chakra.  On 25 November 2018, Captain Maheshkumar Bhure led a team in Jammu & Kashmir, wherein he planned and led the operation in which six top militant commanders were eliminated.

President presended Shaurya Chakra award to Naib Subedar Sombir (Posthumously).

He was among the army men who died while fighting militants in Jammu and Kashmir in February 2019.

Lieutenant Colonel Ajay Singh Kushwah received Shaurya Chakra for a successful counterinsurgency operation in Jammu & Kashmir in which he killed six militants. (UNI)

New Delhi: President of India, Ram Nath Kovind on Monday presented Shaurya Chakra to Jammu and Kashmir Police Sub Inspector, Imran Hussain Tak (posthumous).

According to a tweet by the President of India, the Shaurya Chakra was presented to him for displaying heroic action, indomitable spirit, exceptional bravery, utmost commitment to duty in fighting with militants.

“President Kovind presents Shaurya Chakra to Shri Imran Hussain Tak (Posthumous), Sub Inspector, J&K Police . He displayed heroic action, indomitable spirit, exceptional bravery, utmost commitment to duty in fighting with terrorists and made supreme sacrifice for the nation,” President of India tweeted.

His wife Gulnaz Akhtar received the award in Delhi.

Special Police Officer (SPO) of J&K Police Ashiq Hussain Malik conferred with Shaurya Chakra (posthumously) for showing the highest degree of courage, leading to the elimination of four heavily armed militants during an operation in Anantnag in 2018.

His parents Maqbool Malik and Shahzado Bano received the award today.

Srinagar: The J&K Government has asked its Home Secretary to monitor the enforcement of Covid Appropriate Behaviour closely and submit a Report to the Chairperson of the State Executive Committee (Chief Secretary) on daily basis.

This is part of the fresh covid-19 guidelines passed the SEC following a review meeting  with the ACS (Finance), ACS (Health and Medical Education), Principal Secretary (Home), Principal Secretary (PWD-R&B), ADG/IGs, Divisional Commissioners, Deputy Commissioners, Superintendents of Police and other officers of Jammu and Kashmir on November 20.

The SCE observed that there was a need to continue with the existing COVID containment measures in all districts in view of the “uneven trend” observed in daily Covid cases as well as rising positivity rate.

The SEC reiterated that enforcement of CAB was critical in determining the need for additional restrictions.

The District Magistrates of J&K have been strictly ensure that there is full compliance to Covid Appropriate Behaviour and defaulters are firmly dealt with under relevant sections of the Disaster Management Act and the Indian Penal Code.

“The DMs shall constitute inspection teams of district officers to check whether the instructions contained herein for enforcement of Covid Appropriate Behaviour (CAB) are being implemented by the concerned with due responsibility,” the SEC said in an order, adding, “Further, the DMs shall constitute joint teams of Police and Executive Magistrates for intensifying enforcement of Covid Appropriate Behaviour. The joint teams shall submit daily report regarding activities carried out by them and their assessment of compliance level.”

The Home Secretary, Government of Jammu & Kashmir shall monitor the enforcement of Covid Appropriate Behaviour closely and shall submit a Report to the Chairperson of the State Executive Committee (Chief Secretary) on daily basis, the order reads.

The SEC reiterated other restrictions including regarding education as such the schools, except for relaxations as provided for students of 12th and 10th classes, shall continue to remain closed for on-site  in- person teaching. (GNS)

By: Nadeem Nadu

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir reported 160 fresh covid-19 cases while one person died due to the virus in the last 24 hours, officials said on Monday.

Among the fresh cases, 32 were reported from Jammu Division and 128 from Kashmir, taking the overall tally to 335528.

There was one death, from Kashmir, due to the virus during the last 24 hours, they said.

So far 4462 persons—2182 in Jammu and 2280 in Kashmir—have died due to the pathogen, they said.

Giving district wise details of the fresh cases, the officials said that Srinagar reported 59 cases, Baramulla 38, Budgam 9, Pulwama 2, Kupwara 5, Anantnag 3, Bandipora 2, Ganderbal 10, Kulgam 0, Shopian 0, Jammu 19, Udhampur 0, Rajouri 1, Doda 3, Kathua 0, Samba 0, Kishtwar 0, Poonch 1, Ramban 0 and Reasi 8.

A number of these cases were confirmed at CD hospital’s diagnostic labouratory and include male (60) (NA) from Sgr, female (45) (NA) from Sgr, female (50) (NA) from Budgam, female (35) (NA) from Wasoora pulwama, male (60) (NA) from Kadlabal pampore, female (21) (NA) from GDC langate, female (18) (NA) from Khurhama lolab, female (28) (NA) from Haran chogul, male (50) (NA) from Lalbazar, female (60) (NA) from Drangbal pampore, male (64) (NA) from Bemina, male (41) (NA) from Lalbazar, male (29) (NA) from Mehjoor nagar, male (22) (NA) from Beerwah, male (38) (NA) from Rawalpora, female (05) (NA) from Rawalpora, male (55) (NA) from Sadribal, female (14) (NA) from Zakura mustafa colony, female (08) (NA) from Zakura mustafabad, male (45) (NA) from Zakura mustafa colony.

Moreover, 195 Covid-19 patients recovered during the time, 36 from Jammu Division and 159 from Kashmir, they said.

So far 329401 patients have recovered, leaving active case tally at 1665—250 in Jammu and 1415 in Kashmir.

They said there was no new confirmed case of mucormycosis (black fungus) reported today. So far 49 black fungus cases have been confirmed in J&K, the officials said.

The government also informed that 65921 doses of covid-19 vaccine were administered during the time in J&K. (GNS)