Srinagar, October:

On the eve of Home Minister Amit Shah’s visit to J&K, a policeman was killed and a CRPF constable injured when militants attacked a joint checkpost laid by security forces in Pulwama district.The attack came hours after a Lashkar-e-Toiba militant was killed in an encounter in Shopian after a three-hour operation.

The police said the militants targeted the check post at 3 pm. “Terrorists fired upon a joint naka

party of the CRPF and police at Pinglena, Pulwama. In the terror attack, one policeman got martyred and one CRPF man got injured,” the Kashmir Zone Police said in a tweet. The slain policemen has been identified as constable Javid Ahmad Dar. The injured paramilitary soldier was immediately evacuated to a hospital, the police said, adding that reinforcement was sent and the area cordoned off. Shah will be arriving in J&K on a three-day visit on Monday. Besides reviewing the security situation, he will address two rallies in Rajouri and Baramulla districts. In Shopian, security forces had launched an operation after inputs about the presence of a local militant linked to the LeT at Baskuchan village.

As security forces personnel approached the suspected spot, the militant fired upon the search party, leading to an encounter. The militant, identified as Naseer Ahmad Bhat of Baskuchan in Shopian, was killed and his body retrieved from the encounter site.

Jammu, October:

The J&K Commission on Socially and Educationally Backward Classes has recommended reservation for the Pahari-speaking people ahead of the three-day J&K visit of Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

Highly places sources in the government said the commission, led by Justice GD Sharma (retd), had submitted its report with the government and recommended reservation to the Pahari community that could further intensify their tussle with the Gujjar community which has come out against government’s attempt to give scheduled tribe (ST) status to the Paharis.

The Pahari community is expecting that Amit Shah will announce ST status for it during his Rajouri rally on October 4. The border district of Rajouri has significant population of both Paharis and Gujjars, who already have the ST status.

Sources said the panel had also recommended reservation for other tribes in far-off areas of Paddar of Kishtwar. Communities like Gada Brahman and grave diggers, who are mostly from the Muslim community, may also get reservation. It has been learnt that the commission has also recommended reservation for the residents of Teetwal, the last village in Kupwara along Line of Control (LoC).

Members of the Gujjar community in Poonch have said they would have to take to roads if the government grants ST status to Paharis. They say Gujjars still reels under poverty, backwardness, and systemic discrimination.

Gujjar leader Jameel Kohli, chairman of the Block Development Council (BDC) in Poonch, said the Gujjar-Bakerwal youth and activists were against the ST tag for Paharis. “Surprisingly, politicians from the community have maintained silence on the issue,” said Kohli.

A Pahari community leader from the PDP, seeking anonymity, said, “After decades, the Union Government is about to grant us the ST status. It will not affect the other community that has expressed fears of dilution of their rights. It will strengthen the bond between the two communities.”

After his Rajouri rally, Amit Shah will leave for Baramulla on October 5 and later review security situation in Srinagar.

Srinagar: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha Sunday said that the government was determined to build the J&K of Mahatma Gandhi’s dreams empowering every section of the society without discrimination.

An official spokesman in a statement issued here said that attending the finale of month-long celebrations held in schools across Jammu and Kashmir to mark the 153rd birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi organised by the Department of School Education, the LG said, “When the country was in a state of gloom in 1947, Pujya Bapuji saw a ray of hope in Kashmir.”

Paying floral tributes to Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi, he said, “Violence has no place in a civilised society. Truth and non-violence were the true powerful instruments of Bapu. I urge people to imbibe the timeless teachings of Bapu and contribute to nation-building. Misguided youth should shun the path of violence and join the mainstream.”

The LG said that Gandhi had shown the way to change the world and this change had to start with every individual.

Paying floral tributes to Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi, he said, “Violence has no place in a civilised society. Truth and non-violence were the true powerful instruments of Bapu. I urge people to imbibe the timeless teachings of Bapu and contribute to nation-building. Misguided youth should shun the path of violence and join the mainstream.”

The LG said that Gandhi had shown the way to change the world and this change had to start with every individual.

“Let us ensure that Gandhiji’s thoughts and wisdom of one nation, one people enriches our diversity and strengthens our plural culture. We must follow his ideals to achieve the dream of Gram Swaraj and modern education rooted in our ancient values,” he said. “It should be the responsibility of the citizens to strive to translate Bapu’s ideals into action to create a society which is progressive, prosperous and contributes to building a strong Atma-Nirbhar Bharat.”

Noting that Gandhi does not belong to any religion, the LG said that all those who were politicising Gandhiji’s favourite prayers need to understand that his ideals belong to the entire humanity.

“The country under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is working on the mantra of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas and Sabka Prayas’ and spreading the message of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ and ‘Ekam Sat Vipra Bahudha Vadanti’ to the world,” he said. “Following the ideals of Bapu, we are strengthening three-tier Panchayati Raj Institutions to make the villages Aatm-Nirbhar. Far-flung areas are witnessing unprecedented development.”

The LG said that education was another important aspect on which the government was working with dedication and commitment.

“We are encouraging vocational training and developing schools as model education centers. Our focus is on nurturing scientific temper and curiosity among the children,” he said. “J&K is making unparalleled progress in all sectors. The rights bestowed by the constitution have been extended to the deprived class and tribal community. We have made progress in the direction of empowering farmers, youth, and women.”

Later, the LG felicitated the students and educational institutions that excelled in different activities and competitions including essay writing, speech competition, and quiz competitions during the month-long Gandhi Jayanti celebrations. He also released eminent scientist Prof Gautam Desiraju’s book ‘Bharat: India 2.0’ and appreciated the author for shedding light on the constitution and the civilisational vision of India.

The LG also remembered former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri on his birth anniversary.

Advisor to Lt Governor Rajeev Rai Bhatnagar lauded the efforts of the students and the teachers of the School Education and Higher Education Departments for the successful conduct of the month-long celebrations of Gandhi Jayanti.

The Shanti Yatra which was started from Anantnag and Jammu on September 7 as part of the celebrations also culminated at the SKICC on Sunday.

Chief Secretary Arun Kumar Mehta said that Gandhi was a living ideology of truth and non-violence and inspired the goal of making J&K 2.0 which would have no place for fear, corruption, drug abuse, and violence of any

Noted Gandhian and Chairperson Swaraj Peeth Trust Rajiv Vora spoke on the movements led by Gandhi against the evils of society.

Eminent scientist and author Prof Gautam R Desiraju gave an overview of the theme and content of his book and enlisted steps for making India a more prosperous and global power.

NAAC grading awards were presented to the colleges from across J&K besides Swachh Vidyalaya Awards were conferred to the best performing schools.

A documentary on the month-long celebrations of 153rd Gandhi Jayanti in educational institutions of J&K was also showcased on the occasion.

Padam Shri S P Varma; Additional Chief Secretary, Agriculture Production Department, Atal Dulloo; Additional Chief Secretary, Home Department, R K Goyal; Principal Secretary, Higher Education Department, Rohit Kansal; Principal Secretary, School Education Department, Alok Kumar; Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Pandurang K Pole; and ADGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar were also present on the occasion.

Jammu, Oct 3: The Meteorological (MeT) department on Monday forecast mainly dry weather in Jammu and Kashmir during the next 24 hours.

“Weather is likely to remain dry in J&K during the next 24 hours”, an official of the MeT department said.

Meanwhile, Srinagar recorded 9.6 degrees Celsius, Pahalgam 4.9 degrees and Gulmarg 4.6 degrees as the minimum temperature this morning.

Drass in Ladakh had 0.4 degrees, Kargil 7.8 and Leh 3, while Jammu registered 20.3 degrees, Katra 18.4, Batote 12.2, Banihal 8 and Bhaderwah 10.3 degrees.

33 BN, CRPF, Bhaderwah as a part of all India campaign to create awareness on “ Swatch Bharat Mission ” conducted a public awareness on  occasion of “Birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi” plugging run and carried out sramdan at Boys Higher Secondary School, Bhaderwah. The aim of the campaign was to create awareness among the local public about cleanliness in our daily life and its important in creating a healthy society.

The goal is to spread the message that, as we are keeping our houses clean we have to keep our surroundings and public places also clean, which is the responsibility of each and every citizen. Sh. Devendra Singh Negi, Commandant-33 Bn CRPF, Sh. Kasam Khan, Second in Command-33 Bn, Sh. Pankaj Kumar, Asstt. Comdt addressed the Jawans to make cleanliness a part of their everyday life and also participated in the campaign along with Jawans of the unit.

Jammu, Oct 1: An alleged drug peddler was detained from Doda district of Jammu and Kashmir, police said on Saturday.
Ghat Doda resident Vijay Kumar alias “Pandit”, a habitual drug peddler, was booked under provisions of illicit trafficking in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (PIT NDPS) Act, a police spokesperson said.
He has been lodged in Bhaderwah district jail on the orders of the Jammu divisional commissioner.
“The accused is a notorious peddler who has been active in the Chenab Valley districts of Doda, Ramban and Kishtwar for many years. Several FIRs have been registered against him in Doda and nearby Ramban district under the NDPS Act,” he said.
Kumar’s detention will act as a deterrent for criminals and smugglers still at large, besides saving the lives of a number of youths, the spokesperson said.
“He was a serious threat to the youths and got them involved in consuming and selling drugs. The police laid a trap and kept him under close surveillance and apprehended him on the basis of intelligence,” he added.
Kumar is the second peddler booked under the PIT NDPS Act in the district in the past two weeks, while 32 others have been taken into preventive custody.
The police have also registered 36 FIRs against 40 peddlers in the district this year, the spokesperson added. (Agencies)

Srinagar Oct 1: The J&K Traffic Police department on Saturday disputed an article in a national Hindi daily claiming that fruit trucks were being deliberately halted on the highway on the behest of cold storage owners.

The article said that the fruit trucks were being stopped for 2-3 days so that the growers are compelled to sell them off to the cold storage owners instead of taking the produce to the open market.

Terming the report as “unfounded, misleading and mischievous”, J&K Traffic Police said in a statement, “As per the data collected by NHAI at the Quazigund toll

plaza, between 01-09-2022 and 30-09-2022, 51,306 trucks including 33,105 apple

carrying trucks moved from Quazigund to other parts of the country via NH 44.

It said that 33105 fruit trucks had plied on the highway in September.

“Further given that the entire backlog of trucks at Quazigund were cleared on 26-09-2022, it is obvious that the daily flow of apple trucks from out of the Kashmir valley to other parts of the country is only 1100 apple trucks per day, and not the higher figures of 2000 or 2500 apple trucks per day as is being claimed by vested interests, ” it said.

“Similarly, the daily flow of truck in the Kashmir Valley towards Jammu and other parts of the country is only about 1600 trucks per day, ” it added.

“Given that the Down HMV traffic moves on alternate days, thus the maximum strandedtrucks at Qazigund is only 1600 trucks unless the Down movement is hampered by partial or complete closure of the NH 44 due to shooting stones, landslides or repair work. Details of travel hours lost over the last week to Shooting stones, other blockages and repair work by NHAI is given below. It may be noted that NHAI had requested for No traffic window of 4 hours per day for 5 days starting 24th Sept 2022, for repair works which was allowed by the government”.