Jammu: Even after day-long efforts, the joint teams of police, Army and special divers suspended the search operation for the second consecutive day as there was no clue about the missing pilots of Ranjit Sagar Lake Dam Chopper crash on Wednesday in Basholi area of Kathua district in Jammu and Kashmir.

“The search operation that resumed with the first light has once again been suspended as there was no clue found about the missing divers in deep waters of Ranjit Sagar Lake Dam,” Sikander Singh, Station House Officer, Police Station Basholi, said.

He said that pilots are still missing and as of now, there are no whereabouts about them, adding, “searches were also carried out in the nearby forest area on the assumption that the pilots might have ejected out of the copter sensing trouble but nothing was found.”

The teams of SDRF are still stationed at the site while NDRF teams, special drivers of the Navy were also pressed into the service, adding, “the Army is planning to rope in special gadgets on Thursday to trace the missing pilots.”

Two pilots of the ALH Dhruv helicopter of the Indian Army went missing after their chopper crashed into Ranjit Sagar Dam on Tuesday morning.

Earlier the search operation suspended on Tuesday evening, resumed this morning.

Ranjit Sagar Dam shares boundaries with Jammu and Kashmir’s Kathua district, Punjab’s Pathankot district and a portion of Himachal Pradesh.

The Army said that some parts of the chopper, floating on the water, were recovered and specialized forces and divers conducted the rescue operations. It further said that it was an Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) that took off from the Army’s Aviation Squadron at Mamun Cantonment in Pathankot, Punjab.

The chopper crashed into deep waters of the Ranjit Sagar Lake. Rescue boats and SDRF teams from the Punjab side were also engaged in the operation.

In January this year also, one pilot had died after an Indian Army helicopter crashed in Kathua district’s Lakhanpur near the Jammu and Kashmir-Punjab border.

The HAL Dhruv helicopter had crashed after developing a technical snag. (UNI)

Srinagar: The congregational Friday prayers would be held at historic Jamia Masjid on August 6 after remaining suspended for about three months due to COVID-19 pandemic.

The prayers were suspended by Anjuman Auqaf Jamia Masjid (AAJM), headed by Mirwiaz Moulvi Omar Farooq, shortly before the start of holy fasting month of Ramzan to prevent further spread of COVID-19.

Mirwaiz will complete two years of house arrest on August 5.

A spokesman for the AAJM on Wednesday afternoon said the cleaning of central grand mosque was carried out today as the worship place remained closed for about three months.

He said that since the Covid positive cases have slowed down, Friday prayers are now being offered in all central mosques, Khanqahs, shrines and imambaras of Jammu and Kashmir. Therefore, he said. Friday prayers will be offered in Jama Masjid Srinagar on Friday.

However, the Anjuman Auqaf clarified that as per the guidelines of medical experts, the worshippers will take precautionary measures and strictly adhere to Covid SOPs during the Friday and daily prayers.

Recently, when the district administration lifted ban on Muharram procession after about three decades, a number of Shia organisations questioned the announcement timing. They said when prayers are not being allowed in Jamia Masjid and annual yatra to holy Amarnath cave shrine in south Kashmir Himalayas was cancelled, how 30 year long ban was lifted during COVID threat.

By: Tasaduq Hussain

Srinagar: The Ministry of Commerce and Industry Wednesday stated that the new Industrial Policy announced for Jammu and Kashmir will help in creation of more employment opportunities for the youth and promotion of tourism in the region.

The minister of State for Commerce and Industry Som Prakash while responding to the queries in the parliament about New Industrial policey, said: “The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade has notified New Central Sector Scheme for industrial development of Jammu and Kashmir with financial outlay of Rs. 28,400 crore on 19/02/2021 and is effective from 01.04.2021 to 31.03.2037.”

“The scheme is applicable for any eligible industrial (manufacturing) entity or eligible service sector enterprise other than those run departmentally by Government, which is registered business enterprise under Goods and Service Tax”, the reply reads.

“The scheme offers four incentives namely, Capital Investment Incentive, Capital Interest subvention, Goods & Service Tax Linked Incentive (GSTLI) and Working Capital Interest Subvention.”

Regarding the opportunities, the MoS stated that “definitely the Scheme will help in creation of more employment opportunities and promotion of tourism in the region.”

“The estimated direct employment generation is anticipated to be nearly 78000 persons, however, the scheme has potential to trigger much more gainful employment indirectly and also, has potential to further promote tourism activities in Jammu and Kashmir” the reply informed. (KNO)

Srinagar: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) Tuesday said that it conducted searches at three locations in Jammu and Kashmir and arrested four persons in connection with the ISIS Kerala Module Case.

According to a statement issued, the NIA said that it along with police units conducted simultaneous searches at five locations (03-Kashmir, 01-Bengaluru and 01 Mangalore) in connection with investigation of NIA case RC-05/2021/NIA/DLI.

“ NIA had registered a suo-moto case against seven known and other unknown accused persons under sections 120B, 121 & 121A of IPC & sections 17, 18, 188, 20, 38 & 40 of UA (P) Act on 05.03.2021 pertaining to militant activities of one Mohammed Ameen alias Abu Yahya r/o Kerala and his associates, who have been running various ISIS propaganda channels on different social media platforms such as Telegram, Hoop and Instagram for propagating the violent Jihadi ideology of ISIS and radicalizing and recruiting new members for the ISIS module,” the NIA statement said, adding that earlier, NIA had conducted searches and had arrested three accused persons namely Mohd. Ameen, Dr. Rahees Rasheed and Mus’Hab Anwar in this case in March 2021.

“During investigation, it has been revealed that after the decline of ISIS Caliphate in Syria/Iraq, Mohd. Ameen had visited Kashmir in March, 2020 for Hijrah (Religious migration) and for engaging in militant acts and had also raised funds in association with Kashmir based accused Mohammad Waqar Lone alais Wilson Kashmiri and his associates. As part of conspiracy, funds were also transferred to Mohd Waqar Lone by accused in the case through banking channels and digital payment methods on the directions of Mohd Ameen, Mohd Ameen and his associates were also radicalizing gullible Muslim youths for joining Jihad and unlawful activities in India and had been successful in expanding the network in Kashmir and part of Kerala and Karnataka,” the statement said.

It said that today searches were conducted at the premises of accused/suspects who were continuously in touch with Mohammed Ameen and his associates through various groups/channels on encrypted chat platforms and   had raised funds for furtherance of activities of ISIS.

“During searches, several digital devices including Laptops, Mobile phones, Hard Disk Drives, Pen Drives, multiple SIM cards of different service providers and incriminating documents were seized,” the statement said, adding that subsequent to the searches, four accused persons associated with ISIS were arrested namely i) Obaid Hamid, r/o Bemina , Srinagar,  Muzammil Hassan Bhat , r/o Bandipora , Kashmir,  Ammar Abdul Rahman , r/o Ullal Mangalore and  Shankar Venkatesh Perumal alias Ali Muaviya ,r/o Bangalore. They were involved in raising funds and radicalising and motivating more people to join ISIS. “Further investigation in the case continues,” the statement said. (KNO)

By: M S Nazki

Jammu: Eight days have elapsed but there is still no trace of 19 persons including eight women who went missing following a cloudburst at Honzar Dachan in Kishtwar district.

On Wednesday, rescuers continued the operation but no trace of those missing following the cloudburst and subsequent flash floods in the remote village on intervening night of July 27 and 28, the officials said.

On Monday last, Director General of Police Dilbag Singh had an aerial survey of the village. He also chaired a high-level meeting during which, among others, he stressed the need for intensifying the rescue operation to trace the missing persons.

Authorities have pressed teams of NDRF and SDRF for carrying out the rescue operation.  Several teams of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) with “sophisticated equipment” were earlier involved in the operation along with other rescuers from police, Army and local volunteers, the officials said.

Success has been eluding the search teams after seven bodies were recovered and seventeen persons rescued in injured condition after the calamity on Wednesday last.

The missing persons include Saja Begum (60) wife of Ghulam Mohidin, Khursheed Ahmed (31) son of Mohammad Iqbal, Fida Hussain (26) son of Mohammad Ramzan, Mohammad Sharif  (40) son of Ghulam Rasool, Almina Tasbassum (22) daughter of Mohammad Iqbal, Mata Begum (45) wife of Lala Tantry, Ghulam Mohammad (70) son of Ghulam Rasool, Fazal Hussain (18) son of Rustom Ali Chopan, Tariq Hussain (50) son of Nazir Ahmed, Zarina Begum (40) wife of Tariq Hussain, Mata Begum (45) wife of Ghulam Rasool, Fatima Begum (56) wife of Ghulam Ahmed, Bashir Ahmed (45) son of Rustum Ali, Begum (45) wife of Abdul Rehman, Sharifa Begum (38) wife of Ghulam Mohammad, Shakir Hussain (22) son of Ghulam Ahmed, Ghulam Ahmed (65) son of Abdul Aziz, Zubaida Banoo (25) daughter of Ghulam Ahmed and Khalid son of Haji Gami.

The police have also started a community kitchen since weakened to provide meals to affected people of village Hounzar. The police said to have erected tents to provide the temporary shelter at the site. (GNS)

‘Azadi Ka Amrut Mahotsav’

Srinagar, Aug 04: The Cabinet Secretary, Rajiv Gauba, while chairing a high-level meeting to review the ongoing Azadi Ka Amrut Mahotsav to celebrate 75 years of India’s Independence; asked all states and Union territories to showcase region-specific accomplishments since 1947 so as to instill a sense of pride, and to create a vision for ‘India@2047’.

Union Home Secretary, Ajay Kumar Bhalla, Chief Secretary, Dr. Arun Kumar Mehta, Union Secretaries for Culture and Information & Broadcasting along with Chief Secretaries of all other States and Union territories participated in the meeting. Secretary, General Administration Department, and Secretary Culture were also present in the meeting.

At the outset, Union Secretary Culture, gave a detailed presentation on various aspects of Azadi Ka Amrut Mohatsav and highlighted the status of participation from all States and Union territories in the ongoing activities.

The Cabinet Secretary asked the States/UTs to launch a people-intensive citizen campaign- ‘Jan Utsav, Jan ke Dwara’ with an emphasis on India’s glorious history and culture, technological development and digital intervention. “The campaign must aim inclusive participation from children, women, elderlies, and divyang from all regions of the State/UT”, he added.

States and Union territories were asked to organize various commemoration activities for the event on five key themes of freedom struggle, ideas at 75, achievements at 75, actions at 75, and resolve at 75. These activities will aim at raising awareness on freedom movement and struggles; stories of unsung heroes and freedom fighters; key milestones during the freedom struggle; and the ideas that inspired the struggle for independence.

The Cabinet Secretary further advised States and UTs to capture achievements of villages and their extraordinary women, youth and diaspora, for drawing inspiration from the exemplary contributions.

The Union Home Secretary while interacting with the States/Union territories asked them to focus on capturing future aspirations through respective visions of India at 2047, 100 years after Independence in addition to celebrating the glorious past. He further advised that interactions between elders and youngsters may also be organized for promoting the exchange of ideas and experiences and recording of oral history.

It was informed that all the initiatives under the Mahotsav are being consolidated on the ‘MyGov’ portal and app. Special activity ‘Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat’ is being organized on the app to promote cultural exchange between various regions of the country, and States/UTs were asked to promote mass participation. Further, a Digital District Repository is also being compiled with a special focus on local unsung heroes, events connected to the freedom movement, and architectural heritage.

While apprising the meeting on initiatives taken by the Government of Jammu and Kashmir, the Chief Secretary, Dr. Arun Kumar Mehta said that in J&K as a mark of respect, 75 roads, and 75 schools will be renamed after the local unsung heroes. Further, to promote progressive engagement of citizens with sports and ecological conservation functional playfields, youth clubs, and plantation committees are being established at all Panchayats before the 75th Independence Day.

As a part of its campaign, Jammu and Kashmir has also submitted a regional ‘Rajya Geet’ in Kashmiri and Dogri languages highlighting the regional contributions and aspirations of Jammu and Kashmir to the Ministry of Culture, Government of India.

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir reported 149 new covid-19 cases while one more person succumbed to the virus in the last 24 hours, officials said on Thursday.

They said 49 of the cases were reported from Jammu Division and 100 from Kashmir Valley, taking the infection tally to 322014 in J&K, they said.

Providing the district-wide details, the officials said that Srinagar reported 34 cases, Baramulla 17, Budgam 7, Pulwama 5, Kupwara 3, Anantnag 2, Bandipora 17, Ganderbal 12, Kulgam 3, Shopian 0, Jammu 12, Udhampur 7, Rajouri 7, Doda 8, Kathua 1, Samba 0, Kishtwar 4, Poonch 2, Ramban 2 and Reasi 6.

A number of cases were confirmed at diagnostic laboratories of CD hospital and GMC Jammu.

The CD cases include female (30) from Tral, male (33) from RS Awantipora, female (60) from Wasoora Pul, two NA (37, 59) and female (14) from Tamil Nadu, male (43) and female (40) from Barzulla, female (40) from Sonwar, male (57) from Shalimar, male (45) from NA, female (NA) from Magam female (NA) from Anantnag and male (30) from Panipat.

The GMC Anantnag cases include female (48) from Palnoo, male (29) from Buchan Shg, male (38) from Redwani Kulgam and male (80) from Banihal Ramban.

Regarding the death, they said, it has been reported from Kashmir. With this, 4385 people have fallen victim to the pathogen in J&K—2147 in Jammu division and 2238 in Kashmir.

Moreover, 127 more COVID-19 patients have recovered, 43 from Jammu Division and 84 from Kashmir Division, they said. So far, 316315 people have recovered, leaving the number of active cases at 1314—526 in Jammu and 788 in Kashmir.

There was no new confirmed case of mucormycosis (black fungus) reported today. So far 35 black fungus cases have been confirmed in J&K, the officials added. (GNS)