Srinagar, Aug 16: Indo-Pak armies on Sunday morning exchanged  gunfire across the Line of Control in Uri Sector of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district.

Reports said shelling is going on in Kamalkote Uri sector.

As per the official, a cow hit by a shell died in of Kamalkote during the exchange of fire.

SSP Baramulla told KNS shelling from both sides, however no further loss of life or injury was reported so far. (UNI)

Jammu, Aug 16: Jammu and Kashmir Police on Sunday lodged FIR and arrested several persons after a video with objectionable content and remarks on disturbing communal harmony was circulated on social media.
IGP Jammu Zone Mukesh Singh tweeted that a case has been registered and several accused apprehended in this case at PS Arnas in District Reasi.
“Two more cases registered in related matters,” he said, adding that peace and harmony will be maintained at all cost in Jammu zone.
Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner, Reasi Indu Kanwal Chib earlier tweeted, “I will not allow anyone to disturb peace of my district.”
“Although this video doesn’t pertain to Reasi but still authorities have been informed and he is booked under relevant laws as we speak,” she said, adding, “stay calm… Anyone forwarding this video on social media shall be booked as well.”
Meanwhile, in a statement issued here by the police regarding an incident involving video of communally sensitive nature, has gone viral on social media; said that it seems to have been maliciously posted to create communal tension.
In this incident, cognizance has been taken and investigation into the matter has started in Pacca Danga police station, Jammu to ensure strict action, police said adding that people are requested not to fall prey to the agenda of anti-social elements.
“Sharing/ posting of such content in punishable offence. We assure strict legal action against such accused who have created or shared such content,” the statement said.
District Police Reasi along with Civil Adminstraion Reasi in a joint statement also said that strong action has been taken against the culprits involved in communal acts in the district.
In Arnas area, three FIR under relevant sections of IPC are registered and police is investigating the cases and will take strict actions against those found involved, it said.
Jammu police have taken cognizance in the incident of video going viral on social media to instigate communal tension in area and is investigating the matter.
“We appeal to the General Public to maintain peace and communal harmony in society and don’t let the anti-social and anti-national elements to take advantage out of this,” it read.
Please cooperate with District Police and Civil Administration by not spreading any rumor or false agenda through social media or rumours, the statement added.
Meanwhile, former J&K Deputy Chief Minister and senior BJP leader Kavinder Gupta said hurting religious sentiments of any community is unacceptable and demanded exemplary punishment to the culprit.
Taking to KNS, the BJP leader said, “This is totally wrong and unacceptable to insult someone’s religious beliefs and great men of any religion.”
” This is against the unity of people. I don’t understand what is the motive of people who want to do disturb situation here. Police should investigate it,” he said. (KNS)

Sopore, Aug 16: An exchange of fire took place between militants and security forces personnel during a search operation in an orchard here in north Kashmir.

Official sources told KNT that after receiving inputs about the movement of militants, joint forces brought an orchard in Dangerpora area of Sopore under siege. During the search operation, militants fired upon the Forces and escaped from the spot.

An official said that search operation is under progress to trace the hiding militants.

Precious Kashmir News
Srinagar, Aug 16: Markets will reopen and public transport services will resume operations as per a regulated schedule from Monday in Srinagar.
In an order issued here the District Magistrate Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary lifted restrictions on business and transport operations in Srinagar allowing a regulated resumption thereof.
The decision to allow reopening of shops and resumption of operation of public transport service has been taken after careful consideration of different aspects of the situation as it exists in the district. It is notable that restrictions on business among other activities and operations in the district has been in place for around five months now with just a limited relaxation permitted during the month-long unlock period before restrictions had to be reimposed.
Dr Choudhary told KNS shops will remain open from 11 am to 5 pm only.
The order issued pursuant to the State Executive Committee order dated 04.08.2020 permits reopening of 50 percent shops in all markets and resumption of public transport operations with a boarding of 50 percent passengers in minibuses and up to a maximum of 4 passengers in 10-seater maxi-cabs and 2 passengers in taxicabs and auto-rickshaws.
In all markets, alternate shops will open so as to prevent crowding and to enable queuing of customers as per the advised distancing norm. Market associations will decide the roster and ensure strict implementation thereof. The decision in this regard follows consultations with trade bodies and market associations of the district, he said.
Speaking in reference to it, the DM said the district administration has full faith in the business and trading communities of the district and is sure that there will be strict compliance with all SOPs and guidelines like wearing of face masks and observance of distancing while going about their businesses.
The instructions for resumption of public transport service include a plan for the number of vehicles which will be allowed to operate on designated routes in the district. To reduce footprint, not more than a third of the total number of vehicles will be allowed to operate on a route. It is notable that there are around 80 designated public transport routes in Srinagar.
The markets will reopen after the ongoing second lockdown enforced last month after a one-month-long unlock period whereas the public transport service will resume operations for the first time since March when restrictions thereon were imposed following outbreak of COVID-19 in J&K.
Concerned authorities have been authorised to take strict action against instances of non-compliance with instructions as issued under the order or violations of preventive guidelines and SOPs the government has devised in efforts to reduce spread of COVID-19.
Meanwhile, places of worship in Srinagar are reopening today after being closed – as a preventive measure as part of the government’s larger efforts at containing spread of COVID-19 – since March.
To ensure strict compliance with SOPs and guidelines the government has devised in consultation with health experts, the district administration has reached out to managing committees of places of worship of all faiths and sensitised them about do’s and don’ts to prevent spread of COVID-19.

Precious Kashmir News
Srinagar, Aug 16: Two persons, including a teenager, were killed and four others were injured in separate road accidents in Kashmir on Sunday, officials said.
They said a 16-year-old boy riding a scooty was killed when a tipper hit him at Bomdora in Kokernag in Anantnag. The deceased was identified as Sahil Ahmad.
A motorcyclist Gulzar Ahmad was killed when a load carrier hit him at Pahalgam in Anantnag district today.
Four persons, including a woman, were injured when a vehicle in which they were travelling skidded off the road and fell into deep gorge at Bagi in Kupwara. Officials confirmed that the injured have been admitted to hospital.

Dubai: The Saudi-led coalition fighting the Houthi movement in Yemen said on Sunday in a statement carried by state news agency SPA that it had intercepted and downed a ballistic missile launched towards civilian targets in southern Saudi Arabia.

Cross-border attacks by Iran-aligned Houthi forces have escalated since late May, when a truce prompted by the coronavirus pandemic expired. In late June, missiles reached the Saudi capital Riyadh. The coalition has retaliated with air strikes.

Al Masirah TV, run by the Iran-aligned Houthis, said on Sunday that Saudi-led coalition air strikes had damaged fuel tanks in a factory in Houthi-held territory.

On Thursday the coalition said it had intercepted and downed an armed drone and two ballistic missiles launched towards southern Saudi Arabia.

Yemen has been mired in conflict since the Saudi-led coalition intervened in March 2015 to restore the Yemeni government ousted from power in the capital Sanaa by Houthi forces. The Houthis say they are fighting a corrupt system.

Precious Kashmir News

Jammu, Aug 16: The Government has evacuated about 3,17,751 JK residents, stranded in other parts of the country due to COVID lockdown, via Lakhanpur  and through special trains and buses till date amid strict observance of all necessary guidelines and Standard Operating Procedures.

As per the official data received in this regard, the Jammu and Kashmir administration has received 116 special trains at Jammu and Udhampur railway stations from different states and UTs, so far, with about 98,141 passengers while about 2,19,610 persons from other states and UTs including 906 from abroad have been evacuated by the government through Lakhanpur till date.

As per the detailed breakup of the figures, about 1508 stranded passengers have entered through Lakhanpur from August 15 to August 16 mornings while 960 passengers have reached today in the 95th Delhi COVID special train at Jammu. So far, 95 trains have reached Jammu with a total of 82,445 stranded passengers belonging to different districts while 15,696 passengers have reached Udhampur in 21 special trains, so far.

Srinagar, Aug 16:  Alleging that there was a huge vacuum between people and bureaucrats since August 5, 2019, Kashmiri Pandit Sangarsh Samiti (KPSS) on Sunday said pundits, who stayed in Kashmir after mass migration by the members of the community in early 90s, were the worst hit.

In a statement here this afternoon KPSS Sanjay Tickoo said left out 808 families of Kashmir pundits are facing problems because some persons in the bureaucracy are showing cold shoulders towards them.

“ Since the August 5, 2019 there is a huge vacuum between general public with those bureaucrats who are in decision-making body in the Union Territory (UT) of J&K, and left out Kashmiri Pandit are worst sufferers of this vacuum which creates un-necessary hurdles”, he said. On August 5 last year centre abrogated Article 370 and 35 A besides divided the state into two UTs.

Tickoo who was leading a group of pundits, including women, who staged a dharna at Press Enclave here today said despite direction by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and High Court (HC) coupled with reports submitted by two Parliamentary Standing Committees in favour of left out members of the Pandit community nothing has changed. All these directions and recommendations were put into dust bin because of some hidden agenda, he alleged.

He further alleged that these officers and officials are using their bureaucratic and clerical skills to manipulate the facts to keep their superiors in dark in order to hide their incompetency.

Tickoo alleged the Department of Disaster Management Relief, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction (DMRR&R) and are playing with the lives of 808 left out Kashmiri Pandit and these families are made to suffer.

He said in June 2020 KPSS sent more than a hundred representations and communications Prime Minister’s Office, Ministry of Home Affairs and Lt Governor of UT. Tickoo said Governor, Chief Secretary, and Secretary DMRR&R Central Government while taking cognizance to our plea responded back with a fresh Recommendation to UT to consider our demands in light of previous recommendations and implement the same on a priority basis. On the contrary, the Department of DMRR&R has chosen to neglect the directions and recommendations, he alleged.

He said today’s protest is a message that we will be left with no choice but to start fast unto death to get justice.

Our demands included extension of PM’s Job Package and apportionment of 500 posts, one job per family,    providing of accommodation to all deserving Non-Migrant Kashmiri Pandit,  extension/providing of necessary financial assistance to all the 808 families, protection, preservation, and restoration of Temples and other religious institutions belonging to the religious minority in Kashmir Valley as per High Court directions.

Precious Kashmir News

Srinagar, Aug 16: A woman allegedly commited suicide by consuming poison in south Kashmir district of Pulwama, official sources said on Sunday.

They said woman, who was not identified, consumed some poisonous substance in her home at Drabgam in Pulwama. However, other family members immediately shifted her to hospital where she was declared brought dead.

It was not immediately clear why she took this extreme step, they said adding police has registered a case and initiated proceedings.