Jammu, September:

Barely a few hours after a six-month-old infant was allegedly kidnapped from the government hospital in Kishtwar district, the police rescued him and also nabbed the woman abductor, officials said.

Earlier in the day, the police announced a reward of Rs 10,000 on the abductor. She is being questioned, said Senior Superintendent of Police Shafqat Hussain Bhat.

Srinagar, Sept 28: Amid vehement protests by fruit traders against halting of fruit trucks on the Srinagar-Jammu highway which was causing them huge losses, the J&K government on Wednesday transferred SSP Traffic Highway Shabir Ahmad Malik and attached him with the police Headquarters J&K with immediate effect.

According to an order issued by R K Goyal, Financial Commissioner Additional Chief Secretary, Mohita Sharma, SP Ramban has been given the additional charge of the post till further orders.

The move comes amid protests by Kashmir fruit traders against halting of trucks on the highway.

According to fruit traders, roadwork has prevented thousands of trucks from travelling on Kashmir’s main route carrying millions of dollars worth of apples, leading to complaints from farmers as their harvest starts to spoil.

Jammu, Sep 28: Weather was dry in Jammu and Kashmir during the last 24 hours as the Meteorological (MeT) office said on Wednesday that the same conditions are likely to continue.

“Dry weather is likely to continue in J&K during the next 24 hours,” an official of the MeT department said.

Srinagar had 12.8, Pahalgam 6.8 and Gulmarg 7 degrees Celsius as the minimum temperature.

Drass in Ladakh had 3.3, Kargil 6.6 and Leh 4.4 as the minimum temperature.

“Dry weather is likely to continue in J&K during the next 24 hours,” an official of the MeT department said.

Srinagar had 12.8, Pahalgam 6.8 and Gulmarg 7 degrees Celsius as the minimum temperature.

Drass in Ladakh had 3.3, Kargil 6.6 and Leh 4.4 as the minimum temperature.

Jammu had 22.8, Katra 20.3, Batote 14.2, Banihal 11.4 and Bhaderwah 12.4 as the minimum temperature.

Jammu, September:

A day after fruit growers of Kashmir held protests over the traffic disruption on the Srinagar-Jammu highway, Chief Secretary Arun Kumar Mehta on Tuesday held a meeting to take stock of the traffic movement on the highway.

He stressed on putting in place a robust mechanism to regulate traffic of heavy motor vehicles (HMV) at critical points on the vital stretch. The meeting held in Jammu was attended by officials of the administration, the traffic police and the NHAI. The Chief Secretary instructed traffic officials to issue daily bulletin for stakeholders, mentioning travel time taken by heavy motor vehicles from Qazigund to Jakhani, loss of time due to shooting stones at Cafteria Morh, Mehar, and number of vehicles waiting to leave for Jammu.

Mehta also stressed on putting in place the robust communication and information mechanism by the traffic police so as to regulate the HMV traffic at critical points, like Qazigund- Banihal, Banihal market, Sherbibi and Panthayal.

Officials were asked to augment manpower requirement from all sources to regulate traffic in an optimal manner, besides enforcing lane discipline on the critical stretches between Ramban and Banihal.

Moreover, the Ramban administration was instructed to ensure deployment of adequate manpower and traffic management team at Banihal. Farmers as well as traders are worried as thousands of trucks carrying fruits are stuck on the highway for days. Rotting has begun, they say.

Jammu, Sep 27 (PTI) Amid a widespread crackdown against the Popular Front of India, Director General of Jammu and Kashmir Police Dilbag Singh on Tuesday said a comprehensive plan is in place to deal with terror and anti-national elements in the country.

The police chief further said action against the terror networks would definitely have a positive impact and there was no need to look at the country-wide raids from a communal angle.

Singh was talking to reporters on the sidelines of the award distribution ceremony of the 11th J&K Shooting Championship, organised by the Jammu and Kashmir Rifle Association in collaboration with the J&K Sports Council and the National Rifle Association of India from September 20 to September 27 here.

“There is a very comprehensive kind of plan in place to deal with terror elements and also those who are anti-national. Any action against the terror networks will weaken such groups and will definitely have a positive impact,” he said.

More than 150 people allegedly linked with the PFI were detained or arrested in raids across seven states on Tuesday, five days after a similar pan India crackdown against the group often accused of being linked to radical Islam.

‘Shat Chandi Maha Yagya’ begins with onset of auspicious nine-day long ‘Sharad Navratras’ on Monday at Mata Vaishno Devi shrine atop Trikuta hills in Jammu and Kashmir’s Reasi district, an official said.

The ‘Maha Yagya’ which is being performed by chanting of Vedic hymns with other religious ceremonies at the holy cave shrine for peace, prosperity, health, safety and well being of mankind, will conclude with ‘Purna Ahuti’ on Mahanavami, a spokesperson of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi shrine board said.

He said it is being telecast on Shraddha MH-One channel from 11: 30 AM to 1:00 PM daily during Navratras.

Like in the past, the Board has made elaborate arrangements to facilitate a much larger number of pilgrims who are likely to visit the Shrine during Navratras.

Grand decorations are made at the Bhawan, Atka and the area surrounding it with indigenous-foreign fruits and flowers, as well as huge reception doors and pandals are installed in the Bhawan area, the spokesperson said.

Likewise, the illumination of the Bhawan area with attractive and colourful lights has also been done. The breathtaking and festive decorations are a special visual delight for pilgrims who trek about 12km from the base camp Katra to Bhawan, the official said.Meanwhile, Chief Secretary Arun Kumar Mehta inaugurated the Navratra festival in a glittering function at Yog Ashram, Katra in presence of Divisional Commissioner, Jammu, Ramesh Kumar, Director Tourism, Jammu, Vivekanand Rai, Chief Executive Officer, Shrine Board, Anshul Garg and Deputy Commissioner, Reasi, Babila Rakwal.

The inaugural ceremony was marked with traditional puja and formal reception of all important guests by presentation of ‘Mata ki Chunaries’.

“The administration is dedicated towards facilitating the visitors with quality services at Katra,” Mehta said.

Srinagar, Sep 27: Apni Party president Altaf Bukhari Tuesday appealed Jammu and Kashmir administration to prioritise the movement of fruit-laden trucks on the Srinagar-Jammu national highway so that the fruit growers in the valley do not suffer losses.

Addressing a press conference here, Bukhari expressed his gratitude to the administration for clearing the backlog of trucks on the national highway and allowing the movement of such trucks on Monday.

The Apni Party chief said the party had taken up the issue with J-K lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha, chief secretary Arun Kumar Mehta and other officials.

“Yesterday also, we raised the issue with the chief secretary. We told him that if the issue is not resolved, then we will have to sit with the (fruit) growers at Qazigund, even as we do not want any law and order problem to be created, Bukhari said.

Fruit growers of Kashmir on Monday held a demonstration here against the alleged stopping of apple-laden trucks by authorities at various places along the national highway en route to terminal markets of the country.

However, the administration dismissed the allegations, saying the trucks were being halted due to natural causes.

Bukhari said, I am thankful that he (LG Sinha) took a personal interest and confirmed to me last night that they have cleared the entire backlog.

He, however, said it also raises a simple question that if the administration could clear the backlog in a day, why did they not do it for the last 15 days?

“It is possible, if they mean it, they can clear the backlog, they can give preference to trucks. We appeal to the administration, with folded hands, that the people of J-K are facing hardship and please do not see only that the tourism sector is doing well, he said.

About 70 per cent of the population is dependent on horticulture and so its an appeal to the authorities to prioritise the movement of fruit-laden trucks, the Apni Party chief said.

Asked if there was a deliberate attempt to cause losses to the valley’s fruit industry, Bukhari said while it “will be carrying it too far” if he said that they are targeting our industry and our economy, the fact is that our people have suffered and our growers have suffered losses.

“There are elements in every administration and I will not exonerate them from this charge that carelessness has not been done, Bukhari said.

Whether it has been intentional carelessness or a routine like it has become under this administration because they think they are not answerable to anyone… But, I want to tell them what they did yesterday, try to do it every day now,” he added.

On the issue of Kashmiri apples fetching less rates in the fruit mandis in the country, Bukhari urged the government to raise the import duty on the apples coming from outside the country.

He said, “If you are procuring apples from other countries like Afghanistan, first you should see if Afghanistan produces so much apple or not.

The apple you are getting in the name of Afghanistan duty-free, is basically from Iran. It is being used to make our people suffer losses,” he said.

The former minister appealed to the Centre to address the issue.

“This is theft, there is loss of duty, there is evasion. We regularly see that the Enforcement Directorate or the NIA is active, so, please be active on this as well and arrest those who are doing it. Is it only that people of J-K have to be arrested?” he said.

Bukhari said Prime Minister Narendra Modi is doing everything for Bangladesh as there is a water treaty and electricity is being given to them.

“So, I request him (Modi) to do something for the people of Kashmir as well. In turn, the government has imposed a duty on Kashmiri apples, he said.

“I request him to kindly intervene in the matter and ask Bangladesh, since we treat them as the most favoured nation, let them in return at least treat the product of this poor state as the most favoured product. It will not only improve our economy, but their people will also get cheaper apples,” he said.

The issues of the fruit growers should be prioritised, political issues will continue.

Bukhari said he has nothing against Iran and the government can procure apples from the country, however, it has to be done through a proper procedure.

“I targeted the Iranian apple which comes through Wagah under the SAFTA (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation). We are not against Iran. Let them get the apple from Iran by paying proper duty which is 55 per cent and not through this duty evasion channel by showing it as apples from Afghanistan,” he said.

“We can pinpoint to them where the apple is coming from. The movement of the truck right from the orchard level can be tracked in today’s times. It is just that there is some hanky-panky. I do not know whether it is at the official level or some other level,” he added.

Jammu, Sep 27: Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s Jammu and Kashmir visit has been postponed by three days, a top BJP leader said today.

J&K BJP president Ravinder Raina said that Shah’s visit to the Union territory has been postponed by three days and that he would now arrive in J&K on October 4.

Raina was speaking to the party workers while discussing arrangements for the home minister’s visit in Rajouri where he is scheduled to address a rally.

During his two-day visit to J&K, Shah will attend a mega rally planned in north Kashmir’s Baramulla town.

A BJP leader said the home minister will make “an important announcement about Paharis and OBCs at his rally. It is going to be a big gathering. He was scheduled to arrive in Srinagar on October 1.

Shah will address a rally in Rajouri district too.