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Rakesh Malhotra Appointed as Co-Convenor of BJP Urban Local Body Cell, J&K-UT

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Rakesh Malhotra Appointed as Co-Convenor of BJP Urban Local Body Cell, J&K-UT
Jammu, July 13: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), District Jammu, has appointed Shri Rakesh Malhotra of Akhnoor as the Co-Convenor of the BJP Urban Local Body Cell, Jammu & Kashmir Union Territory, with immediate effect.
The appointment has been made by Ved Raj Sharma, Incharge, BJP Urban Local Bodies Cell, in consultation with senior party leadership, including Shri Sat Pal Sharma (CA), Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha), Shri Ashok Kaul, BJP General Secretary (Organisation), J&K-UT, and Shri Rakesh Mahotra. The appointment aims to strengthen the functioning of the Urban Local Body Cell and ensure effective coordination of its activities across the Union Territory.
On the occasion, party leaders congratulated Shri Rakesh Malhotra and expressed confidence that his experience, commitment, and dedication to public service would further reinforce the party’s organizational structure and outreach at the grassroots level.
Expressing his gratitude, Shri Rakesh Malhotra thanked the BJP leadership for reposing faith in him and assured that he would work with sincerity and dedication to strengthen the Urban Local Body Cell and serve the people of Jammu & Kashmir in accordance with the party’s vision of “Seva Hi Sangathan, Sangathan Hi Shakti.”

Heavy security cover around Naqshband Sahib graveyard in Srinagar, access curtailed

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Heavy security cover around Naqshband Sahib graveyard in Srinagar, access curtailed

The lieutenant governor’s administration Monday imposed restrictions in several parts of Srinagar to prevent people from assembling at the martyrs’ graveyard in Naqshband Sahib area of the city.

While the area within a one-kilometre radius of the graveyard was sealed off on Sunday, barricades were set up in the old city and some parts of the civil lines area as a precautionary measure, officials said.

They further informed that police and paramilitary forces have been deployed in strength to meet any eventuality and maintain law and order.

Locals observe July 13 to commemorate protestors who fell to the bullets of Maharaja Hari Singh’s soldiers in 1931.

A siege of concertina wires, plastic barricades, GI sheets and poles has been laid near Nowhatta to prevent the leaders’ march to the graveyard today.

Education Minister Sakina Ittoo posted on social media a video of herself trying to reach the graveyard at 4.30 am to pay tributes to the fallen men, but claimed she was stopped by security forces.

“I tried to visit the Mazar-e-Shuhada at 4.30 am today to pay my humble tributes to our martyrs of 13th July. However, due to the heavy deployment of security forces and extensive barbed-wire barricading around the graves, I was prevented from entering. I was accompanied by the Provincial President of the JKNC Women’s Wing @sabiya_qadri Ji,” the minister said in a post on X.

Sources in the establishment said the restrictions have been imposed in the city to prevent a repeat of last year’s drama, when Chief Minister Omar Abdullah scaled a fence to offer tributes after police locked the gates.

The police in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir report to the lieutenant governor.

Last year, ahead of the day, Omar Abdullah and many other leaders were put under house arrest.

Despite restrictions, National Conference president Farooq Abdullah took an autorickshaw from the Khanyar crossing to the memorial, while Education Minister Sakina Itoo surprised everyone by riding pillion on a scooter to join the veteran politician.

The chief minister climbed over the main gate of the graveyard to offer ‘fateha’. His security men and several other party leaders followed him, eventually forcing the police to open the gate.

On July 13, 1931, 22 people were gunned down by the Dogra army outside Srinagar’s central jail.

In 2020, the LG-led administration dropped the day from the list of gazetted holidays

Fresh batch of 7,754 Amarnath pilgrims leaves Jammu under tight security

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Fresh batch of 7,754 Amarnath pilgrims leaves Jammu under tight security

Amid tight security, over 7,700 devotees departed from Jammu on Monday in the twelfth batch for the twin base camps of the annual Amarnath Yatra in the Kashmir Valley.

So far, more than 252,000 pilgrims have paid their respects at the ice Lingam of Lord Shiva, located at the 3,880-metre-high cave shrine.

Officials stated that a total of 7,754 pilgrims left in 303 vehicles, which included 5,383 men, 2,071 women, 222 sadhus, 58 sadhvis, 16 children, and 4 transgender individuals.

The convoy was divided into two separate groups. The Baltal axis convoy, consisting of 133 vehicles and carrying 2,896 pilgrims, departed at 3.30 am, while the Pahalgam axis convoy, made up of 4,858 pilgrims in 170 vehicles, left at 4.05 am.

With Friday’s departure, a total of 87,701 pilgrims have left the Jammu base camp for Kashmir since the yatra commenced on July 2.

The Bhagwati Nagar base camp echoed with chants of “Bam Bam Bhole”, “Har Har Mahadev” and “Jai Barfani Baba Ki” as devotees began their pilgrimage.

Many pilgrims expressed satisfaction with the arrangements made for the smooth conduct of the yatra.

The 57-day annual pilgrimage to the holy cave shrine is scheduled to conclude on August 28.

BJP Serves Legal Notice to CM Omar Abdullah Over Alleged Defamatory Remarks, Seeks ₹100 Crore Damages

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BJP Serves Legal Notice to CM Omar Abdullah Over Alleged Defamatory Remarks, Seeks ₹100 Crore Damages

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has served a legal notice to Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, accusing him of making false, baseless and defamatory allegations against the party during a convention in Srinagar on July 11.

The notice, dated July 13 and issued through advocate Parimoksh Seth on behalf of the BJP’s Jammu and Kashmir unit, states that the party was acting on the instructions of Sat Paul Sharma, Rajya Sabha MP and BJP J&K president.

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According to the notice, Abdullah allegedly claimed that BJP functionaries had approached National Conference MLAs from the Jammu region with offers of ₹20–30 crore, ministerial positions and restoration of statehood in an attempt to persuade them to switch allegiance. It also alleges that he accused a senior BJP functionary, who is a lawyer practising in the Supreme Court, of offering bribes to NC legislators. The BJP has denied the allegations, describing them as false, malicious and without any factual basis.

The legal notice states that the remarks, which were widely reported in the print, electronic and social media, have damaged the party’s reputation and image. It contends that the statements amount to defamation and are actionable under civil and criminal law.

The BJP has demanded that Abdullah withdraw the allegations in writing, issue an unconditional public apology within seven days of receiving the notice, refrain from making or circulating any further defamatory statements, and immediately cease repeating the allegations.

The notice warns that failure to comply within the stipulated period would compel the party to initiate appropriate civil and criminal proceedings, including a defamation suit seeking damages of ₹100 crore, along with other legal remedies available under law.

Yastika Bhatia scripts history for India, becomes first woman to score Test century at Lord’s

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Yastika Bhatia scripts history for India, becomes first woman to score Test century at Lord’s

India batter Yastika Bhatia became the first-ever woman cricketer to score a Test century at Lord’s, producing a memorable 113 against England to etch her name on the iconic honours board and add another glorious chapter to Indian cricket’s rich history at the ‘Home of Cricket’.

The left-hander’s landmark knock came in India’s second innings of the one-off Test, making her the first woman to register a century at Lord’s since women’s Test cricket began at the historic venue. In the process, Bhatia joined an elite list of 13 Indian batters that includes Vinoo Mankad, Dilip Vengsarkar, Mohammad Azharuddin, Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid, KL Rahul and Ajinkya Rahane, all of whom have scored Test hundreds at Lord’s.

Resuming her innings on 39 not out on Day 3 of the one-off Test match, Bhatia batted with remarkable composure and fluency. She reached her maiden Test century off 145 deliveries with a classy drive through extra cover and celebrated the milestone with an emotional punch of the air.

Her innings of 113 featured 14 boundaries before she was caught at extra cover while attempting to loft England spinner Sophie Ecclestone. As she walked back, Bhatia received a standing ovation from spectators and members of the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), while several England players applauded her historic effort.

Bhatia’s century capped an impressive comeback tour after returning to international cricket earlier this year following knee surgery. She had begun the England tour with a half-century in the opening T20I before finishing it with the biggest innings of her Test career.

India’s commanding second-innings total was also built around useful contributions from Smriti Mandhana (70) and Richa Ghosh, whose unbeaten 50 helped the visitors declare on 341/7 and set England a daunting target of 457.

LG Manoj Sinha reviews Amarnath Yatra arrangements, visits pilgrims at Baltal base hospital

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LG Manoj Sinha reviews Amarnath Yatra arrangements, visits pilgrims at Baltal base hospital

Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Friday visited the base hospital at Baltal, interacted with pilgrims undertaking the Amarnath Yatra and reviewed the arrangements made for the annual pilgrimage, which is continuing under heightened security.

During his visit, the Lieutenant Governor met devotees at the hospital and took stock of the facilities and overall preparedness for the Yatra.

The Amarnath Yatra-2026 is continuing with multi-layered security arrangements across the pilgrimage route. The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has deployed Road Opening Parties (ROPs) along National Highway-44 to ensure the safe movement of pilgrims.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expresses “heartfelt gratitude” to Australia upon departure

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi expresses “heartfelt gratitude” to Australia upon departure

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday expressed heartfelt gratitude to Australia as he departed the country with strong outcomes. PM Modi noted that the momentum of the partnership will benefit both nations. In a post on X, he said, “As my Australia visit concludes, I express my heartfelt gratitude to the Government and people of Australia as well as to PM Albanese for their warmth. The outcomes of this visit have further strengthened our partnership and opened new avenues for cooperation across diverse sectors. The momentum in the times to come will benefit our nation and the entire planet.”

AAP to launch signature campaign seeking strict punishment for Ram temple donations theft ‘culprits’

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AAP to launch signature campaign seeking strict punishment for Ram temple donations theft ‘culprits’

AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Friday said the party will launch a nation-wide signature campaign seeking strict punishment for the culprits in the Ram temple donations theft controversy, saying people have to come together and raise their voice in the matter.

Kejriwal also accused the Centre of protecting those responsible for the alleged theft of donations at Ram temple in Ayodhya.

“It is the duty of every Sanatan follower to ensure strict punishment for those responsible for donations theft at the Ram temple. We will launch a signature campaign in which every citizen will sign a letter addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi stating their appeal,” Kejriwal said.

The AAP will organise a ‘Sundar Kaand’ recital at the Japani Park in Delhi’s Rohini on Sunday, from where the campaign will be launched, Kejriwal said.

“The Modi government is trying to save the people responsible for donation theft at the Ram temple. People must come together against this,” Kejriwal said, as he appealed to the public to join the campaign in large numbers.

The remarks came amid the opposition’s demand for a judicial probe into the alleged financial irregularities in the Ram temple’s donation management system.

The controversy erupted on June 7 after Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav alleged embezzlement of donations at the Ram Mandir, a charge rejected by then temple trust general secretary Champat Rai, who said, “Nothing noteworthy came to light during the ongoing internal audit”.

Based on the preliminary report submitted by an SIT constituted by the Uttar Pradesh government, eight people associated with counting cash and valuables received as donations at the Ram temple were arrested.

Rai later resigned as the general secretary of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust.

Five Amarnath Yatra Pilgrims Injured in Highway Accident Near Udhampur

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Five Amarnath Yatra Pilgrims Injured in Highway Accident Near Udhampur

Five pilgrims undertaking the Shri Amarnath Yatra were injured after their vehicle met with an accident near Toldi Nallah in the Samroli area along the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway (NH-44) on Friday.

The pilgrims were travelling in an Ertiga car as part of a convoy that had departed from the Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas base camp in Jammu for the Pahalgam route. According to officials, the vehicle reportedly went out of control and crashed into a retaining wall on the highway.

Following the incident, personnel from the CRPF 137 Battalion, Gorkha 4/3, Civil Defence, Traffic Police, and Jammu & Kashmir Police rushed to the spot and launched a rescue operation. The injured pilgrims were promptly shifted to the Associated Hospital, Government Medical College (GMC), Udhampur, for medical treatment.

Officials said that one of the injured pilgrims, identified as Seema Gupta, sustained serious injuries in the accident, while the condition of the remaining four is being monitored.

Further details are awaited.

Ninth Batch of 8,796 Pilgrims Departs Jammu for Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra

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Ninth Batch of 8,796 Pilgrims Departs Jammu for Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra

A total of 8,796 pilgrims left the Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas in Jammu in the ninth batch of the ongoing Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra-2026 during the early hours of Friday under tight security arrangements.

According to officials, 3,450 pilgrims departed via the Baltal route, while 5,346 pilgrims proceeded towards the traditional Pahalgam route.

The Baltal-bound convoy left Jammu at 2:42 a.m., followed by the Pahalgam-bound convoy at 3:24 a.m.

The batch comprised 6,426 men, 2,042 women, 228 sadhus, 56 sadhvis, 10 children, 33 foreign male pilgrims, and one transgender pilgrim.

A total of 354 vehicles were deployed for the day’s convoy, including 175 buses, 70 medium motor vehicles (MMVs), 106 light motor vehicles (LMVs), and three two-wheelers. Of these, 173 vehicles were assigned to the Baltal axis and 181 vehicles to the Pahalgam axis.

With the departure of the ninth batch, the total number of pilgrims who have left the Jammu base camp for the annual Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra has reached 61,612, officials said.

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